News and Press Releases

ava woman indicted for embezzling from employer in $212,100 wire fraud scheme

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 1, 2010

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that an Ava, Mo., woman was indicted by a federal grand jury today for embezzling $212,100 from her employer.

Peggy J. Duncan, 60, of Ava, was charged in a 47-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo.

According to today’s indictment, Duncan was the account manager for a Springfield business. During her employment, Duncan and her husband jointly owned Twin Oaks Mill, Inc., a sawmill located in Ava.

Today’s indictment alleges that, from August 2006 to February 2009, Duncan prepared 47 checks totaling $212,100 on her employer’s bank account, which were made payable to herself or to Twin Oaks Mill. Duncan allegedly forged her employer’s name to the checks without his knowledge or permission and deposited the checks into her own bank accounts. Duncan allegedly used the funds to make payments on her personal credit cards and a bank loan, and to pay expenses of the Twin Oaks Mill business.

Duncan is charged with 23 counts of wire fraud related to checks that she deposited into her personal bank account, totaling $101,800, and 24 counts of wire fraud related to checks that she deposited into the Twin Oaks Mill bank account, totaling $110,300.

Phillips cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robyn L. McKee. It was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

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