Anita Marshall, 43, of Daphne, Alabama and formerly of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, pleaded guilty yesterday to defrauding a Fort Campbell charitable organization, announced David Rivera, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee.

“While fraud is always wrong, the theft of charitable funds that were to be used to help military members and their families is particularly troubling,” said U.S. Attorney David Rivera. “Defrauding a charity for personal gain simply cannot be tolerated.”

During a hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Aleta A. Trauger, Marshall pleaded guilty to a charge of bank fraud associated with her theft and subsequent use of checks from the Fort Campbell Thrift Shop, where she served as the assistant manager and bookkeeper. Marshall admitted that she stole blank checks from the thrift shop, issued these checks to herself, forged the signature of the thrift shop manager and then deposited these checks into her own accounts. Marshall’s fraudulent activity occurred from August 2009 until November 2010 and involved 91 checks totaling more than $54,000.

The Fort Campbell Thrift Shop is operated by the Fort Campbell Officers’ Spouses’ Club and donates its proceeds to the club’s Welfare Fund, which funds scholarships for family members of military personnel and donates money to charities, including those supporting military personnel and their families.

Marshall faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000, and will also be ordered to pay restitution to the Fort Campbell charity. Marshall will be sentenced by Judge Trauger on February 5, 2016.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely.