Former Insider Convicted of Defrauding Baton Rouge Company

BATON ROUGE, LA – United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced KATHERINE T. CANCIENNE, age 41, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 28 months in federal prison following her conviction for wire fraud.    CANCIENNE was also ordered to pay $387,025.75 in restitution to Engineers & Constructors International, Inc. (“ECI”).

CANCIENNE, who formerly handled accounting matters at ECI, admitted in connection with her guilty plea, to executing a 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.

U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “My office will continue to aggressively pursue those 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.  I am proud of our prosecutors and the special agents from the United States Secret Service who worked on this very important matter.” 

Tara McLeese, Resident Agent in Charge of the Secret Service Office in Baton Rouge stated, “Since 1865, the United States Secret Service (USSS) has been tasked with protection of the nation's financial service infrastructure. Through aggressive investigation and collaboration with our partners in the United States Attorney’s Office, Agents in the Baton Rouge Resident Office were able to bring this case to a successful ending.  The Secret Service remains committed to addressing the financial crimes that victimize our country’s citizens and financial institutions.”

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.