Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing from Non-profit Organization and up to 72 of its Disabled Clients

Greenbelt, Maryland - Penny Parker Green, age 34, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge David Beach of the United States Secret Service – Washington Field Office; and Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George's County Police Department.

Green was employed by the ARC of Prince George’s County, a non-profit organization located in Largo, Maryland. ARC provided in-home support, daycare and employment services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

According to her plea agreement, from November 2006 to February 2012, Green stole $166,137 from ARC and up to 72 individual group home residents, using three methods. First, Green used her ARC corporate credit card to: purchase airfare to Aruba, an island tour and a sunset sail; install custom closets in her home; and purchase computers, electronics, furniture and other merchandise and services.

Second, Green directed other employees to withdraw cash from individual residents’ bank accounts for her personal use. Finally, Green stole petty cash that was intended for the benefit of individual residents to purchase items for herself.

Green concealed the thefts by submitting paperwork that falsely described the expenditures, and then debited individual residents’ accounts for the purchases.

Green will be required to pay restitution of at least $166,137, and forfeit two laptops, three desktop computers, a printer, XBOX, Wii, Playstation 3 and four HDTVs.

Green faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for wire fraud; and a mandatory two years imprisonment for aggravated identity theft consecutive to any other sentence imposed. U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams Jr. scheduled sentencing for March 18, 2013, at 9:30 a.m.

Today’s announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,700 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the U.S. Secret Service and Prince George's County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Christen A. Sproule, who is prosecuting the case.