Florida Woman Convicted of Embezzling from Car Dealership

NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced today that SEHRELINA TARDO (“TARDO”), age 36, from Tallahassee, Florida, pled guilty on March 26, 2025 to wire fraud, in connection with an embezzlement scheme.

According to court documents, from November of 2018 through May of 2023, TARDO was a senior accountant at a car dealership in New Orleans, where she embezzled customer cash down payments and deposits, taking the funds for herself.  TARDO hid her theft by creating fake journal entries of customer transactions on her employer’s books and records.  Under the terms of the plea agreement, TARDO agreed to pay restitution of $535,750.77 to her former employer.

The Honorable Jane Triche Milazzo set sentencing for June 25, 2025.

At sentencing, TARDO faces up to twenty years in prison, followed by up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.

Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, Healthcare Fraud Coordinator and member of the Financial Crimes Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.