CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A West Virginia woman has pleaded guilty in a wire fraud scheme.
Lois Brotherton, 65, of Charleston, entered the plea in federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart said Tuesday. She also agreed to pay more than $48,500 in restitution.
Brotherton faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine when she is sentenced on April 7.
Stuart said Brotherton once provided bookkeeping and accounting services to a now-dissolved Kanawha County nonprofit organization. In 2019, Brotherton asked a co-conspirator to write her checks from the nonprofit’s bank account.
Stuart said to conceal the missing funds, the co-conspirator allegedly transferred money from three different companies for which she provided accounting services. The transfers were done without the companies’ knowledge.
The co-conspirator, Misty Brotherton-Tanner, is Brotherton’s daughter. Brotherton-Tanner was charged in an 18-count indictment with wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, unlawful monetary transactions and making false statements.
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