Maryland Woman Guilty of Stealing $426,000 from Employer

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Jennifer Xanten, 51, of Frederick, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to charges of mail fraud relating to her stealing more than 500 checks totaling approximately $426,000 out of her employer’s incoming mail.

In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Xanten, an employee of a rehabilitation center in Rockville, Maryland, admitted to stealing the checks out of the center’s incoming mail from February 2014 to July 2015.  To effectuate her scheme, Xanten, who was responsible for mailing out the companies’ invoices, would send out invoices to collect payment for services the center performed. One such company who received invoices was located in Chantilly. She would then intercept the incoming check payments and deposit the checks into her personal account without authorization.  Xanten, who was responsible for inputting entries into the bookkeeping records, falsified entries related to the stolen checks in order to conceal her scheme.

Xanten faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on Jan. 28, 2016. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Paul M. Abbate, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by U.S. District Judge James C. Cacheris.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamar K. Walker is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:15cr286.

###