FORMER BOOKKEEPER PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL PROGRAM EMBEZZLEMENT AND MAIL FRAUD
ABIGAIL JOHN, age 39, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty in federal court today before U. S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance to federal program fraud and embezzlement of over $ 1 million in federal program funds and mail fraud, announced U. S. Attorney Jim Letten.
According to court documents, beginning in June, 2002, ABIGAIL JOHN was employed as a bookkeeper/accountant for LVREC, a non-profit corporation operating in New Orleans which had a contract with the United States Army to study the neuropsychological effects of military deployment in military troops. LVREC received over $ 2 million federal funds from the U.S. Army. In a four year period, JOHN admitted that she stole over $ 1 million of federal program funds by depositing fraudulent LVREC checks into her personal accounts, cashing fraudulent LVREC checks, and by diverting fraudulent LVREC checks to her mortgage company.
ABIGAIL JOHN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of up to thirty (30) years, a fine of $250,000.00, and three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, as well as restitution and forfeiture of the proceeds of the crime. Sentencing has been set for December 1, 2010.
These cases were investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, U. S. Army Criminal Investigation Command, the Defense Contract Audit Agency, and the U. S. Attorney’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Carol Michel and Loan “Mimi” Nguyen.
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