Bookkeeper of Local Business Indicted on Wire and Mail Fraud Charges

ABINGDON, Va. – A federal grand jury sitting in Abingdon returned an indictment last week charging the bookkeeper for a Bristol, Virginia-based business with several counts of mail fraud and wire fraud after she allegedly stole more than $200,000 from the business to pay her bills and buy more than 400 items from Amazon.

In an indictment returned last week and unsealed following her arrest, Angela Sue Conley, 60, of Bristol, Virginia, is charged with five counts of wire fraud and five counts of mail fraud.

According to the indictment, Conley worked as the bookkeeper for a Bristol, Virginia-based business (Company A) for more than 40 years. As Company A’s bookkeeper, Conley was responsible for, among other duties, Company A’s payroll. As such, Conley had access to bank accounts and was issued a company credit card.

The indictment alleges that beginning in January 2020 and continuing through February 2025, Conley devised a scheme to personally enrich herself through fraud by obtaining funds that belonged to Company A. Conley is accused of using her authority as bookkeeper to send wire transfers of funds from Company A’s bank account to Conley’s personal Capital One credit card account, her personal checking account, and to make hundreds of purchases from Amazon. These 474 items included high heel shoes, pool covers, and earrings. All of the items were delivered via the U.S. Postal Service or commercial interstate carrier.

Conley is accused of sending 38 payments totaling $139,246 from Company A’s bank account to her personal credit card account without authorization.

In addition, the indictment alleges that Conley transferred funds from Company A’s bank account to Verizon, BVU Authority, and the Virginia Department of Taxation as payment for Conley’s personal bills. These alleged payments were also made without authorization.

Conley is also alleged to have used her position as bookkeeper to transfer funds from Company A’s bank account to her own personal bank accounts and 401K accounts. Conley altered her paycheck, causing 29 fraudulent payments to be sent from Company A’s bank account to her personal bank account.

In all, between January 2020 and February 2025, Conley caused $205,889 in fraudulent transactions to be made.

Acting United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Ian Kaufman, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle Stone is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.