Susan Hense Sentenced to 4+ Years for Wire Fraud, Cedar Rapids IA, …

Susan Hense, a 54-year-old former attorney from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for defrauding 14 of her former clients. Hense pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud on October 20, 2014, and has since been disbarred and can no longer practice law in Iowa.

According to the plea agreement, Hense admitted to knowingly creating a scheme to defraud her clients and obtain money from them under false pretenses and promises. She falsely represented to her clients that their money would be held in trust in a bank account, when in fact she intended to steal at least a portion of the funds. Over a three-year period, Hense stole and misappropriated at least $837,011.31 in client funds.

Hense was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade in Cedar Rapids. In addition to her prison term, Hense was ordered to pay $860,396.41 in restitution to the victims of her fraud and must serve a three-year term of supervised release after her imprisonment. A special assessment of $100 was also imposed.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/, with the case file number being 14-CR-00109. Hense was released on conditions of release previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on January 20, 2015.

The sentence handed down to Hense reflects the severity of her crimes and the significant financial harm caused to her clients. As a former attorney, Hense was entrusted with the financial well-being of her clients, and her actions were a blatant betrayal of that trust. The fact that she has been disbarred and can no longer practice law in Iowa is a testament to the seriousness of her misconduct.

The investigation and prosecution of Hense’s case demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement and the justice system to holding individuals accountable for their actions, particularly when they involve the exploitation and deception of others. As a former attorney, Hense should have been well aware of the ethical and legal implications of her actions, and her decision to engage in such blatant fraud is all the more egregious as a result.