Milford Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing $2.7 Million from Employer

BOSTON – A Milford woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to stealing approximately $2.7 million from her employer, and then using the money to purchase luxury items, many of which she resold to consignment shops.

Debra Mulloy, a/k/a Debra Depaul, 57, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Oct. 9, 2018.

From 2004 through 2016, Mulloy was responsible for most of the financial and organizational duties at the company for which she was employed. On multiple occasions from April 2012 to December 2016, Mulloy used the company’s credit card account in the name of another employee to make hundreds of unauthorized charges totaling nearly $2.4 million. Most of those unauthorized purchases were for clothing, furs, and jewelry at boutique stores in the Boston area. Mulloy then sold many of the luxury items at consignment shops. As part of her scheme, Mulloy also caused company checks to be issued for her personal benefit, primarily to pay her personal credit card bills. In total, Mulloy defrauded her employer of approximately $2.7 million. 

The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and restitution. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year sentence that must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and restitution.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Balthazard of Lelling’s Economic Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.