Palmetto Woman Sentenced to More Than Five Years for Embezzling Funds

Tampa, Florida – United States District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Beverly Sue Gingell (61, Palmetto) to five years and three months in federal prison for wire fraud and obstructing and impeding the administration of the Internal Revenue Service. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $651,347.42 and to forfeit $745,000, which represents the proceeds of the fraud.

Gingell pleaded guilty on October 22, 2014.

According to court documents, Gingell was formerly employed as the finance manager at Pro-Link, a company located in Bradenton. Gingell falsely represented to the company that she was a Certified Public Accountant with years of experience as a comptroller, and was an enrolled IRS agent, when she was not. From July 2010, through March 2011, Gingell embezzled $745,000 from the company. She did so by sending money to her own bank account via wire transfer and by obtaining money orders payable to herself and others. She used one wire transfer to pay off the remaining balance on her mortgage. Gingell also misrepresented the results of an IRS audit to Pro-Link’s owners, and effectively concealed her forgery on documents to the IRS, which resulted in a substantial tax liability to the company.

This case was part of a joint investigative effort by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Bradenton Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelley Howard-Allen.