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Press Release

Former Bookkeeper Pleads Guilty to Embezzling from Tacoma Charity Thrift Stores

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington
Used Account Access and Other Employee Identities to Steal More Than $500,000

The former bookkeeper for the St. Vincent de Paul Society Stores of Tacoma, Washington, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, announced United States Attorney Annette L. Hayes. ANGELA TONEY SAUCIDO, 44, moved from the Tacoma area to Phoenix in 2007, but continued to work for the charity as its bookkeeper through March 2013. As part of her plea agreement SAUCIDO will pay more than $543,000 in restitution to St. Vincent de Paul Society stores. Sentencing is scheduled in front of U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle on January 25, 2016.

According to records in the case, the embezzlement scheme involved a variety of frauds. SAUCIDO would transfer funds from the St. Vincent de Paul Society Stores bank accounts to her own bank accounts and falsify entries making it appear the transfers were for legitimate purposes. SAUCIDO forged signatures on checks and made electronic fund transfers to benefit her and her family. SAUCIDO made purchases for her personal use on the St. Vincent de Paul Society Stores Home Depot credit account, and then used the charity’s funds to pay for the purchases. Finally, SAUCIDO used the identities of other employees to make it appear they had received additional pay when in fact she had deposited the money into bank accounts she and her husband controlled.

Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Aggravated Identity Theft is punishable by a mandatory two years of prison that must follow any term imposed on the wire fraud counts.

The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Hampton.

Updated November 2, 2015

Topics
Financial Fraud
Identity Theft