⏱ 2 min read
Two former employees of the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office in West Virginia have been indicted for a long-running scheme to steal taxpayer funds and misappropriate conservator account assets. Barbara Gail Gooden, 60, and Lisa Lee French, 48, both of Martinsburg, allegedly conspired to defraud the office from 2007 to 2024, issuing fraudulent checks, forging signatures, and diverting funds for personal use. The alleged fraud, which included over 700 transactions, resulted in the misappropriation of more than $3 million.
The scheme involved manipulating conservatorship and estate bank accounts under the office’s administration, with the defendants allegedly carrying out over 550 forged checks and withdrawing substantial funds from at least 59 conservator bank accounts. The indictment charges Gooden and French with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and multiple counts of bank fraud.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office. The United States is seeking forfeiture of any property derived from the offenses, including a money judgment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey stated that the office will continue to safeguard taxpayer resources and protect the interests of vulnerable individuals, ensuring that those entrusted with public responsibilities are held fully accountable for violations of that trust.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Public Corruption
- Defendant: West Virginia
- Location: WV
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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