Former Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing $1.6 Million From Crotched Mountain Foundation

CONCORD, NH—Linda D. Bevins, of Deering, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty today to stealing about $1.6 million from the Crotched Mountian Foundation, Acting United States Attorney Michael J. Gunnison and Hillsborough County Attorney Marguerite Wageling announced.

Bevins was formerly employed as the payroll supervisor for Crotched Mountain. From about June, 2004, through about July, 2007, Bevins manipulated the organization’s payroll system to divert about $1.6 million in unauthorized payments to herself and others. She caused unauthorized electronic deposits drawn on Crotched Mountain’s payroll account to be made to her personal accounts and to the personal accounts of others, and caused unauthorized paychecks to be issued to former and current employees of the organization. Bevins forged endorsements on those checks and negotiated them or deposited them in her accounts. Bevins also caused other unauthorized paychecks to be issued payable in her name and in the name of another individual.

Crotched Mountain is a nonprofit charitable organization that provides rehabilitative, educational, and other services to children and adults with disabilities and their families. It receives federal funds in the form of subsidy payments administered by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development for housing for the disabled and elderly. It is a violation of federal law for an employee of an organization that receives federal funding to steal more than $5,000 from that organization. In March, 2008, a federal grand jury indicted Bevins for embezzling about $1.6 from Crotched Mountain while she was employed there.

Bevins pleaded guilty to that charge today in U.S. District Court in Concord, New Hampshire. After accepting Bevins guilty plea, the court ordered that she be released subject to conditions and under the supervision of the United States Probation Office pending a sentencing hearing that was scheduled for October 22, 2009.

Bevins is facing possible a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a possible maximum fine of twice the amount of money she allegedly stole or about $3.3 million.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Greenfield Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark S. Zuckerman and Special Assistant United States Attorney Karen Gorham of the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office.