Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Northern District of Georgia

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Former Employee Sentenced for Embezzling over $1.2 Million from Accounting Firm and Client

ATLANTA - Pamela B. Lewis has been sentenced for stealing over $1.2 million from her employer, an accounting firm, and her employer's client.

“Small firms depend on their accounting personnel to safeguard the financial health of the company and its clients,” said U.S. Attorney John Horn. “Lewis violated this trust and helped herself to $1.2 million held in the firm’s accounts over eleven years.”

“This is a devastating loss not only for the small business owner, but also for the owner’s client,” said FBI Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge George Crouch. “We will continue to diligently investigate anyone who callously preys on innocent victims like this.”

According to U.S. Attorney Horn, the charges and other information presented in court: Lewis worked as an accounting clerk for a family-owned accounting firm located in Snellville, Georgia.  From 2002 through 2013, Lewis forged the signature of the sole authorized account holder and owner of the firm on checks she wrote to herself from the company account. Between 2006 and 2013, Lewis also forged the signature of a trustee on checks she wrote to herself from a client's trust account. To conceal her theft, Lewis used her position as an accounting clerk to create false accounting entries, disguising the forged checks as legitimate business expenses or voided checks. During that time, Lewis embezzled over $1.2 million from her employer and her employer's client.

Pamela Lewis, 60, of Tucker, Georgia was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen to three years, one month in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,230,674.94.  Lewis was convicted on these charges on April 21, 2016, after she pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney Bernita B. Malloy prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office atUSAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov

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 or (404) 581-6016.  The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.