A Wichita man’s greed landed him in the slammer, and his former employer out $41,000, after he was sentenced to 18 months in prison for wire fraud.
Jason Matthew Pennington, 52, of Wichita, had access to the financial records and payroll system of an animal hospital in Derby, Kansas, where he worked as a bookkeeper and office assistant. But that access was used for one thing: lining his own pockets.
In July 2020, Pennington made unauthorized wire transfers from the company’s payroll system to his personal bank accounts, netting him approximately $41,000. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lanny Welch and Aaron Smith took on the prosecution.
Pennington’s plea agreement includes full restitution to the animal hospital he swindled. The question is, how could someone so trusted fall so far? The answer, for Pennington, is now 18 months behind bars, and a lifetime of regret.
The wire fraud charge, one count of wire fraud, is a serious offense that carries significant penalties. Pennington’s sentence reflects the severity of his crimes.
As the case comes to a close, the community is left to wonder how such a brazen crime went undetected for so long. The answer, in this case, is a combination of lax oversight and the smooth-talking nature of the perpetrator.
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Key Facts
- State: Kansas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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