South Carolina Couple Sentenced in $1.4 Mil Embezzlement Plot

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher has sentenced Robin Joseph, 64, of Murells Inlet, South Carolina, to a staggering 39 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, including six months of home detention, for his role in a $1.4 million embezzlement and identity theft scheme.

Joseph admitted guilt on April 25, 2025, for wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. The court also ordered restitution in the amount of $1,406,211.19 to Victim Business 1, a wholesale greenhouse and garden center in Maryland.

Joseph’s wife, Valerie Joseph, 61, was previously sentenced to 53 months in prison and one year of home detention for her part in the scheme. Together, they worked as bookkeepers from 2003 until August 2021, defrauding their employer through unauthorized charges to various credit card accounts.

Between January 2011 and August 2021, the couple made numerous unauthorized purchases with the victims’ cards, including over $200,000 at Walmart, more than $53,000 in personal phone bills to AT&T, and over $30,000 at a Japanese steakhouse. They also charged tens of thousands to utility bills, college tuition, and even pet-related expenses.

Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office announced the sentence, with U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commending the agency for its thorough investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Riley is prosecuting the case.

For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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