Norwalk Woman Admits Stealing More Than $400,000 from Employer

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ROBERTA DAVIS, 46, of Norwalk, waived her right to indictment and pleaded guilty today before United States Magistrate Judge Joan G. Margolis in New Haven to one count of wire fraud stemming from a scheme by DAVIS to defraud her former employer out of more than $400,000.

According to court documents and statements made in court, DAVIS, while employed by Theatre Projects Consultants (“TPC”) of Norwalk, used TPC check stock to write checks made payable to herself in the total amount of approximately $349,365.76. DAVIS also used the TPC computer system to make it appear as though each check was made out to a vendor for a corresponding invoice when, in reality, there was no such invoice and the check was made out to her. DAVIS then fraudulently signed the checks in the name of an authorized TPC account signatory and deposited them into her bank account.

In pleading guilty, DAVIS also admitted that she used TPC’s American Express account to charge approximately $58,534.11 in personal expenditures on the corporate cards of individuals working at TPC. DAVIS was not issued a TPC American Express card of her own, but she was responsible for paying TPC’s American Express bill. Through this scheme, DAVIS charged extensive personal travel for her and her family members, as well as gas, clothing and other personal expenditures, including jewelry.

DAVIS also used an account at an office supply store to fraudulently obtain approximately $7,028.05 in personal items, including computer equipment. At the time she was hired by TPC in August 2000, DAVIS did not disclose that she was a convicted felon and had earlier that year been released from federal prison after serving a sentence for defrauding the Social Security Administration by faking her death and applying for a new Social Security number in the name of another person.

DAVIS is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Ellen Bree Burns on March 28, 2012, at which time DAVIS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. In addition, DAVIS faces a restitution order in the amount of $414,927.92. DAVIS has been detained since her arrest on September 8, 2011.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric J. Glover.