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Press Release

Former Cox Communications vice president sentenced for embezzling millions of dollars

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Georgia

ATLANTA – Janet West, a former vice president at Cox Communications, was sentenced to two years, one month in federal prison for her part in an embezzlement scheme that cost the company millions of dollars. 

“This greedy defendant misused her high-ranking position to deceive and steal millions of dollars from her employer,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak.  “She then used the money to fund her own lifestyle, including paying for two houses she owned.  Whether the defendant is in the public or the private sector, unauthorized use of funds belonging to others for personal gain is a crime.”

According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: West was in charge of a nationwide field marketing plan to bring gigabit speed connections to markets throughout the U.S.  Beginning in 2011, West directed her assistant to make payments, on the assistant’s corporate credit card, to a third-party company for supposed marketing services.  In reality, a significant portion of the marketing services never occurred and the majority of the payments for the services were covertly transferred back to the defendant.  The defendant caused Cox Communications to make payments to the third party, totaling $2.4 million.

West repeatedly falsified conflict of interest certifications with Cox Communications, failing to disclose the payments she made to herself.  The defendant used the embezzled funds for her own personal benefit, including making payments on two houses she owned in Arizona. 

Janet West, 49, of Paradise Valley, Arizona, was sentenced two years, one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.  West was also ordered to forfeit her interest in the two properties and to pay full restitution to the victim. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Thomas J. Krepp, Chief of the Data Analytics Unit – Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S Attorney Kelly K. Connors prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.

Updated May 30, 2018

Topic
Financial Fraud