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Press Release

Former Controller Sentenced To Prison For Embezzling Over $208,000 From Non-Profit Health Care Employer

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Louisiana

BATON ROUGE, LA - United States Attorney Walt Green announced today that U.S. District Court Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced TRAVIS TEMPLET, age 36, of Gonzales, Louisiana, to twelve (12) months in federal prison as a result of his scheme to defraud his non-profit health care employer, Elder Outreach.  TEMPLET was ordered to pay restitution of $208,307.59 to the victim and to serve a three (3) year term of supervised release after his release from imprisonment.  TEMPLET was also ordered to forfeit all property traceable to the gross proceeds of the scheme.

On July 1, 2015, TEMPLET pled guilty to wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.  TEMPLET was the Controller at Elder Outreach, a non-profit health care organization, which manages nursing homes and rehabilitation centers in Louisiana and Arkansas.  Between December of 2011 and October of 2014, TEMPLET engaged in a scheme to defraud his employer using material false pretenses and wire communications to execute his scheme.  The scheme involved TEMPLET modifying the coding on fraudulently issued checks in Elder Outreach’s software program, writing checks to himself, and altering the company’s accounting records and software applications to conceal his actions.  As TEMPLET obtained the checks, he would deposit the funds into one of his personal accounts.  Throughout the scheme, TEMPLET created and generated more than sixty-seven (67) checks and fraudulently obtained approximately $208,307.59.

U.S. Attorney Walt Green stated, “My office will continue to make fraud and embezzlement prosecutions a high priority, as we work to hold corrupt insiders such as this defendant accountable.  The defendant’s actions in this case were particularly egregious in that he not only betrayed the trust placed in him by his employer, but also took advantage of a non-profit health care organization, which managed elder care facilities.”

This matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M.P. Thornhill.  The matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Updated January 15, 2016