Skip to main content
Press Release

Former Insider Convicted of Defrauding Baton Rouge Company

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Louisiana
Contact

U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that KATHERINE T. CANCIENNE, age 40, has plead guilty to wire fraud in connection with her scheme to embezzle hundreds of thousands of dollars from her employer, Engineers & Constructors International, Inc. (“ECI”), a consulting firm that provides engineering and managerial staffing to oil and gas companies. The defendant faces a significant prison term, fines, and restitution orders as a result of her conviction.

During the guilty plea hearing, the defendant, who formerly handled accounting matters at ECI, admitted to executing her fraud scheme by, among other things, establishing a shell corporation and bank account under the name Cappo, LLC, which had a similar name to an actual ECI vendor. The defendant admitted further to causing ECI to issue checks and make electronic wire payments to her shell corporation by creating and submitting false and fraudulent documents to ECI. As a result of this scheme, the defendant obtained nearly $400,000, if not more.

U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “My office will continue to aggressively pursue who use their positions of trust and skill to steal from their employers. Such betrayal often risks the financial livelihoods of their co-workers and may threaten the financial integrity of their employers.”

This matter is being investigated by the Baton Rouge Office of the U.S. Secret Service, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Pete Smyczek.

Updated May 21, 2018