Former Indiana Resident Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison

FORT WAYNE – Michelle L. Bernskoetter, 37 years old, of Wheeling, Missouri, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly Brady after pleading guilty to five counts of wire fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

Bernskoetter was sentenced to 27 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $402,513.96 in restitution to the victim of the offense.

According to documents in the case, between June 12, 2020, and July 5, 2022, while employed as a financial manager, Bernskoetter devised a scheme to defraud and obtain money from her employer. She abused her position of trust by embezzling funds from her employer to pay her own personal credit card debt, resulting in a loss of over $400,000.       

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Fort Wayne Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.