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Press Release

Former Art Gallery Employee Indicted With Over $1 Million Embezzlement

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Jeffrey Hall (48, Maitland) with five counts of mail fraud and three counts of wire fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each count. A trial has been scheduled for November 2014.

According to the indictment, Hall worked at a local art gallery that also had locations outside of central Florida. Over a period of at least 2 ½ years, Hall used his position at the gallery to embezzle over $1 million. He did this by diverting proceeds from the sale of artwork to his own personal bank accounts, or to a business account that belonged to him. The indictment further alleges that Hall used artwork of the gallery as loan collateral for himself, and sold some of the gallery’s artwork on eBay.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.

Updated January 26, 2015