INDIANAPOLIS—Joseph H. Hogsett, the United States Attorney announced today the sentencing of an Indianapolis woman for her role in an embezzlement scheme that lasted nearly nine years. Tami Riggles, 46, Indianapolis, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge William T. Lawrence to 16 months in federal prison.

“Each one of us has to be accountable for our actions both in our private and professional lives,” said Hogsett. “If you steal from financial institutions, you steal from all Hoosiers and this office will hold you responsible.”

Riggles was employed as a senior floor plan operations specialist and was responsible for transactions involving 700 automobile dealerships who used “floor plans,” a common borrowing system used by dealers to finance their vehicles. While Chase Bank employed safeguards for reconciliation to make sure dollar amounts borrowed and repaid were accounted for each day, Riggles was able to escape detection when she used a Chase Bank general internal account to steal from and to accomplish depositing money into her own personal checking account. None of the dealerships’ money was stolen.

Riggles’ theft of $458,391 took place between 2005 and 2013 when her scheme was detected. Riggles was stealing between $8,000 and $16,000 monthly to elevate her lifestyle which included expenditures to numerous retail outlets, restaurants, credit cards, and an online dating site. In addition to agreeing to pay restitution to her former employer, Riggles also agreed to pay $6,450 to the Franklin Youth Basketball League.

“Embezzlement is a crime that causes harm to businesses and diverts funds from their intended use. The FBI will continue to pursue those who unlawfully enrich themselves at the expense of others,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Jones.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Gayle Helart, who prosecuted the case for the government, Riggles will serve two years of supervised release after serving her sentence.