Former Chairman Of Louisville Episcopal Church Education Foundation And His Spouse Sentenced To Prison For Embezzling More Than $1.1 Million From The Charity

Foundation Chairman laundered money through his wife’s business

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Charles Muir, the former chairman of the Woodcock Foundation, and his wife, Diana Muir, former owner of DBM-Dental Direct of Louisville, were sentenced today, by Senior Judge Thomas B. Russell, to serve prison terms for the interstate transportation of stolen property and money laundering totaling $1,141,030, from the Louisville Episcopal Church Education Foundation, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Kuhn, Jr.

“This crime was an act of staggering selfishness,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney John Kuhn.  “The  Muirs stole money from a charity that gave college scholarships to economically disadvantaged students.  In effect, they were stealing college money from needy and deserving young people.  And to make matters worse, their actions undermined the trust and confidence of generous and good-hearted donors who wanted to make a difference through contributions to an educational charity.”

Charles Muir, age 62, was sentenced to 46 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release and Diana Muir, age 61, was sentenced to six months in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Both are from Louisville and previously admitted in court, that between April 2007 and June 2011, they unlawfully transferred or caused to be transferred in interstate commerce approximately $1,141,030 of funds that had been stolen or taken by fraud from the Woodcock Foundation.   The funds were transferred from Your Community Bank in Louisville, Kentucky, to locations outside of Kentucky.  The $1,141,030 was taken without authority from the Woodcock Foundation, a charitable trust providing college scholarships in the Louisville, Kentucky area.  In addition the defendants conducted financial transactions involving the proceeds of the $1,141,030 by depositing checks from the Woodcock Foundation into the Your Community Bank account of DBM Dental to disguise the nature of the transactions.

According to court records, during the four year period of conduct, the couple withdrew approximately $262,000 by ATM at a casino in Indiana and in total withdrew more than $365,000 in cash.

From April 2007 through June 2011, Charles Muir was the chairman of the Woodcock Foundation, a charitable organization associated with the Episcopal Church of Louisville, Kentucky. During the same timeframe, Diana Muir owned and controlled DBM.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Bryan Calhoun and Jason Snyder, and was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Criminal Investigation Division of the Internal Revenue Service.