Lake Charles Woman Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Stealing more than $250,000 from Employer

LAKE CHARLES, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Lake Charles woman was sentenced to 14 months in prison for stealing more than a quarter of a million dollars from her employer.

Kristen Brady, 47, of Lake Charles, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi for one count of bank fraud. She was also sentenced to complete 50 hours of community service and ordered to pay $255,324.04 in restitution. According to the evidence presented at the July 24, 2014 guilty plea, Brady worked for a Lake Charles rental company as a bookkeeper for 12 years before her employment was terminated in November 2013. It was later discovered that she had forged authorizing signatures on more than 200 checks to her benefit in the company’s name, and in the process, received $255,324.04 of which she was not entitled.

The U.S. Secret Service and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard C. Parker prosecuted the case.