Kimberly Lovitt, 52, of Pace, Florida, and Amy Williams, 46, of Milton, Florida, were sentenced to 36 months and 18 months, respectively, in federal prison on charges of wire fraud, money laundering, and filing false tax returns stemming from their embezzlement of funds from their employer. Michelle Spaven, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the sentences.
“Abuse of trust, embezzlement, and tax evasion warrant significant criminal consequences” said Acting U.S. Attorney Spaven. “The defendants’ years-long theft from their employer and the extreme efforts to conceal their criminal proceeds are both illegal and offensive to all hardworking Americans, especially those who own and operate local businesses. It is fitting and proper that they are not only incarcerated, but that they pay restitution and unpaid taxes for their criminal conduct.”
Beginning in early 2016 and continuing into 2021, Lovitt conspired with her sister, Williams, to embezzle over $844,000 from their employer, a locally owned business in Pensacola, Florida. Lovitt worked as the officer manager and Williams worked as the receptionist. They used their positions to steal money from their employer by using corporate credit cards for unauthorized personal purchases. Lovitt used her position to create false documentation and manipulate accounting records to cover up their scheme. Lovitt also failed to report the embezzled money as income on her federal income tax returns.
“The defendants’ theft through embezzlement caused great financial strain on their employer and put other employees’ jobs at risk,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge, Tampa Field Office. “The sentencings today serve as an example of what individuals can expect when they lie, cheat, and steal and then try to hide the ill-gotten gains from the IRS.”
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Tharp prosecuted the case after a joint investigation by the Pensacola Police Department and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation as part of the Emerald Coast Financial Crimes Task Force.
