Former Secretary and Treasurer of Corsica Borough Pleads Guilty in $305K Fraud Scheme

PITTSBURGH – A resident of Corsica, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of wire fraud, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

Tammy Laird, 47, pleaded guilty to 26 counts before United States Senior District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from January 2009 through August 2017, while Laird was employed as the Secretary and Treasurer of Corsica Borough, she defrauded the borough of more than $305,000 by issuing checks from the borough’s bank accounts to her father, her husband, and herself, by extracting funds from the borough’s bank accounts to pay personal expenses and credit card bills, and by making personal purchases on the borough’s business account at Staples. To hide her activity, Laird supplied the Corsica Borough Council and state auditors with altered bank statements and other falsified financial documentation.

Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. The law provides for a sentence at each count of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Laird was released on an unsecured bond pending sentencing.

Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Laird.