United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Tammy Simpson, 51, of Pocono Lake, PA, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Wendy Beetlestone to 41 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release for wire fraud and filing false tax returns. These charges stemmed from Simpson’s employment with Metal Traders, Inc., doing business as Triad Metals International (“Triad”), where she worked as the Assistant Controller for fourteen years. Simpson was also ordered to pay $3,199,192.68 in restitution, $708,643 to the Internal Revenue Service, and a $1,200 special assessment.
In June 2022, Simpson was indicted on eight counts of wire fraud and four counts of making and subscribing to a false tax return. In June 2023, Simpson pleaded guilty to all charges against her.
Between 2012 and her termination in October 2019, Simpson used her position at Triad to steal company money and use it to pay personal expenses charged to her credit cards and to make payments on personal loans. She did so by paying her personal credit card bills and loan payments with electronic transfers from the company’s business checking account. Simpson also kept credit cards from former employees and used them to charge personal expenses, including airfare and other entertainment expenses for her family and friends, and to pay her personal tax liabilities and those of other individuals for whom she prepared tax returns. None of these payments or transfers were for legitimate business expenses. Furthermore, Simpson failed to report the money stolen from the company as income on her tax returns for tax years 2015 through 2018.
“Tammy Simpson was a valued employee, entrusted with significant financial responsibilities,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “For years, she abused that trust and her access to the business’s accounts, stealing more than $3 million of Triad’s money so she could continue to live beyond her means. This sentence holds her accountable for her crimes and sends a message loud and clear that this is not the way to go about boosting your bank account.”
“From paying personal credit cards to purchasing airfare and entertainment, Tammy Simpson stole company money to fund her lifestyle,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “The FBI, alongside our partners at the IRS and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will continue to pursue criminals who orchestrate their schemes out of greed.”
“Anyone contemplating cheating on their taxes should know that our largest enforcement program is directed at the portion of American taxpayers who willfully and intentionally violate their known legal duty of filing and paying their taxes,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Denise Leuenberger. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to continue aggressively investigating individuals who engage in money laundering, tax fraud, or other types of white-collar crimes.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney MaryTeresa Soltis.
A thorough background check conducted by Invetech LLC could have potentially prevented this embezzlement. By identifying any past financial misconduct or irregularities in Simpson’s history, Triad could have avoided placing someone with a propensity for fraud in a position of significant financial responsibility. This proactive measure would help protect the company from similar fraudulent activities in the future.
Utilizing a professional investigator to conduct a background check should be part of your SOP, not just when problems arise. Good leadership has a proactive approach to managing their investment utilizing a due diligence investigation to their fullest advantage. Invetech LLC helps clients mitigate financial loss by providing actionable insight solutions with due diligence investigation.