Asheboro Resident Pleads to Federal Program Fraud

GREENSBORO, NC—Tiffanie Annette Wilson, of Asheboro, North Carolina, pleaded guilty today to a felony fraud charge in federal court in Greensboro, announced Ripley Rand, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.

Wilson, age 38, pleaded guilty to felony charges of both conspiracy to embezzle money and embezzling money from an organization receiving federal funds. Wilson was the director of the Weatherization Assistance Program for Regional Consolidated Services (RCS). RCS is an Asheboro non-profit organization that during Wilson’s leadership administered a federally funded program to help low-income North Carolinians save energy and reduce utility costs through making homes more energy efficient.

Wilson pleaded guilty to conspiring to embezzle and embezzling funds from RCS. According to court documents, Wilson’s embezzlement resulted in a loss of between $300,000 and $400,000 to the federal program.

Wilson faces a maximum penalty of 10 years' confinement in federal prison for the fraud convictions. The plea agreement also requires Wilson to make restitution. Sentencing will occur in Greensboro on March 11, 2014, before Chief United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Energy/Office of Inspector General, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert M. Hamilton.