Friday, April 20, 2012

Norwalk Woman Sentenced to 71 Months in Federal Prison for Stealing More Than $400,000 from Employer


David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Roberta Davis, 46, of Norwalk, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Ellen Bree Burns in New Haven to 71 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for stealing more than $400,000 for her employer.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Davis was employed by Theatre Projects Consultants (TPC) of Norwalk. Beginning in at least as early as January 2004, Davis used TPC check stock to write checks made payable to herself in the total amount of approximately $349,365.76. Davis also used the TPC computer system to make it appear as though each check was made out to a vendor for a corresponding invoice when, in reality, there was no such invoice, and the check was made out to her. Davis then fraudulently signed the checks in the name of an authorized TPC account signatory and deposited them into her bank account.

Davis also used TPC’s American Express account to charge approximately $58,534.11 in personal expenditures on the corporate cards of individuals working at TPC. Davis was not issued a TPC American Express card of her own, but she was responsible for paying TPC’s American Express bill. Through this scheme, Davis charged extensive personal travel for herself and her family members, as well as gas, clothing, and other personal expenditures, including jewelry.

Davis also used an account at an office supply store to fraudulently obtain approximately $7,028.05 in personal items, including computer equipment.

At the time she was hired by TPC in August 2000, Davis did not disclose that she was a convicted felon and had been released from federal prison in January 2000 after serving a sentence for defrauding the Social Security Administration by faking her death and applying for a new Social Security number in the name of another person. Davis was terminated from TPC in October 2010.

As part of her sentence, Davis was ordered to make restitution in the amount of $414,927.92.

Davis has been detained since her arrest on September 8, 2011. On January 4, 2012, she pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric J. Glover.

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