Former Microsoft Employee Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Embezzled Funds
Shoreline Resident Used Knowledge of Microsoft Systems to Steal More Than $1 Million
| U.S. Attorney’s Office September 06, 2011 |
RANDAL RAY SEAL, 54, of Shoreline, Washington, was sentenced today to two years in prison, two years of supervised release, and $1,065,755 in restitution for money laundering. SEAL was an analyst in the accounts payable department at Microsoft who exploited features in the company’s system for paying vendors to steal more than $1 million. Today in court SEAL repaid $515,375 to Microsoft and was ordered by Judge James L. Robart to pay an additional $550,380. Judge Robart told SEAL there “Needs to be a lesson that this kind of money laundering and fraud is not going to be permitted and the accountants of the world can end up going to jail because of it.”
According to records filed in the case, Microsoft discovered the theft of funds some time after SEAL had left the company. When confronted by FBI agents in November, 2009, SEAL admitted taking the money. SEAL was indicted in December 2010, and pleaded guilty in May 2011.
The case was investigated by the FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Parrent.
For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110 or Emily.Langlie@USDOJ.Gov.