Clermont Woman Pleads Guilty To Theft Of Over $650,000

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III announces that Robin C. Briere (53, Clermont) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud for her theft of more than $650,000 from the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Florida.  She faces up to 20 years in federal prison.  A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to court documents, Briere used her position as Secretary-Treasurer of the American Legion Auxiliary to steal approximately $657,441 from the organization over a seven-year period from 2007 to 2014.  Briere accomplished her scheme by creating more than 200 fraudulent transactions, most of which involved Briere writing checks to herself on the American Legion Auxiliary account and then inputting false entries to the organization’s accounting system.  She also wrote checks from the American Legion Auxiliary account to pay her personal credit card bills. In some instances, Briere used the American Legion Auxiliary credit card to pay her personal expenses.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Roger B. Handberg and Nathan W. Hill.