Blue Springs Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud, Money Laundering

February 10, 2010 - KANSAS CITY, MO—Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Blue Springs, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to a bank fraud and money laundering scheme in which she embezzled as much as $760,000 from her employer.

Shanna M. Hutchens, 36, of Blue Springs, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays this afternoon to the charges contained in a July 14, 2009, federal indictment.

Hutchens worked as a bookkeeper for Richardson Hauling, Inc., in Sugar Creek, Mo. Beginning in December 2004 and continuing to October 2008, Hutchens made out company checks to herself and/or her husband and forged the business owners’ signatures on the checks. She then deposited those checks into her personal bank account or cashed them. Hutchens also admitted that she drafted cashier’s checks on the account of Richardson Hauling, which were made out to herself or her husband, and which she cashed or deposited into her own account.

The government contends that Hutchens embezzled at least $760,000 from Richardson Hauling; the exact amount of funds is disputed and will be decided by the court at Hutchens’ sentencing hearing.

Under federal statutes, Hutchens is subject to a sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $1 million. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Mahoney. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sugar Creek, Mo., Police Department.