United States Attorney's Office Says Goodbye To Forensic Financial Auditor

SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced the retirement of Kathy T. Penfield, financial auditor, who served in the Western District of Louisiana for 22 years.  Penfield was honored on Tuesday, January 7, 2014, at a retirement ceremony held at the U.S. Courthouse in Shreveport.  Her last day with the office was December 31, 2013.

“We are losing a talented expert forensic auditor and public servant,” Finley stated. “Throughout her career, Ms. Penfield played an integral role in prosecuting cases with our office.  Her years of service and dedication to the Department of Justice are a true testament of her commitment to justice and the citizens of this district.  She will be greatly missed, and we wish her the very best as she starts the next chapter of her life.  I am grateful for her tireless advocacy on behalf of the Western District.”

Penfield joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana on November 12, 1991 as a forensic financial auditor assigned to the Criminal Division.  During her 22 years with the office, Penfield provided expert forensic auditing and accounting services in investigations by determining whether there were violations of federal statutes such as bank fraud, money laundering, securities fraud, commodities fraud, Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO), mail fraud, and more.  She focused her work on tracking complex financial transactions.   Her work was used by federal prosecutors to convict many high profile defendants, including corrupt public officials.  Penfield has worked with numerous federal agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Among her numerous awards and citations, Penfield received a letter of commendation from the Director of the FBI for her work on two very complex cases, received multiple recognitions from regional FBI offices for her forensic fraud examinations, and was a recipient of the 2007 and 2008 awards from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, Southeast Region, for her service in the Western District of Louisiana. 

Penfield graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1981 from Centenary College in Shreveport receiving a bachelor’s degree in accounting.  She is a certified public accountant, a certified fraud examiner, past president of the local chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and is certified by the American Institute of CPAs in Financial Forensics.  She is a 25-plus year member of the Louisiana Society of CPAs and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.  Kathy Penfield is married to Jim Penfield, her husband of 42 years. 

L to R: Kathy Penfield and U.S. Attorney Stephanie Finley