Selma Morales, Wire Fraud, New Mexico 2023

Lubbock Woman Sentenced for Defrauding Law Firm of $550,000

A former financial manager from Lubbock, Texas, has been sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay $924,311 in restitution for her role in a widespread embezzlement scheme.

Selma Morales, 55, was convicted of wire fraud and admitted to abusing her position as a trusted, high-level employee to perpetuate the scheme. Morales managed the law firm's day-to-day finances and had access to the firm's bank accounts and credit cards.

According to court records, Morales used the law firm's credit cards to pay for personal expenses, including meals, groceries, car repairs, car and home insurance, property taxes, funeral expenses, clothing, sports apparel and equipment, designer products, jewelry, and plastic surgery. She also used the law firm's credit cards to pay for family vacations, entertainment, apartment rental payments, and college tuition payments.

Morales pleaded guilty in September 2017 and acknowledged using her position to conceal her fraudulent activity. The case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret M. Vierbuchen and Brandon L. Fyffe.

Morales' sentencing comes after a lengthy investigation and prosecution. The law firm, headquartered in Lubbock with offices in Albuquerque, Hobbs, and Las Cruces, New Mexico, was defrauded of more than $550,000 between May 2009 and May 2015.

The 24-month prison sentence and three years of supervised release demonstrate the severity of Morales' crimes. The U.S. government has made it clear that embezzlement and fraud will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Selma Morales, Wire Fraud, New Mexico, 2023

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm/pr/texas-woman-sentenced-two-years-prison-federal