Secretary wrote checks to herself, stealing $1.2 million for vacations and SUV, feds say

A Missouri secretary wrote company checks out to herself, then used the embezzled money to fund vacations, two vehicles and a skid loader, according to federal authorities.

In a span of six years, authorities said Stephanie D. Carper wrote at least 44 checks to her own account — totaling at least $1,219,192.

Now she has pleaded guilty to a felony bank fraud charge in federal court, according to an Oct. 6 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.

In pleading guilty, Carper said that between September 2013 and September 2019, she would take pre-signed checks from a family-owned Ralls County agricultural business and write her name in the recipient line. She also wrote in how much money she wanted to take from the company, according to her signed plea agreement.

Carper wrote false explanations on the deposit slips, and she wrote fake transaction descriptions in the business check registry, according to court records. In many cases, authorities said she wrote that the checks were for the company’s primary vendor.

The checks had already been signed by the company owner and his relatives so that Carper could pay vendors, authorities said. But she has now “admitted taking advantage of her position as secretary.”

The defense attorney representing Carper did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News.

Carper used some of the money to buy a Nissan Murano SUV, a Toyota Tundra pickup truck and a Caterpillar 247 skid loader, according to court records. Authorities said she also paid for vacations to Alaska and other destinations.

Carper, who now lives in Eufaula, Alabama, is scheduled to attend her sentencing hearing on Jan. 9, officials said. She faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine, in addition to restitution.

Ralls County is in the northeast corner of Missouri.

Labor leader stole thousands from his CA union, spent it on luxury travel, feds say

Man stole $854,000 from employer — then had his Missouri backyard redone, feds say

Manager of ‘haunted’ bed-and-breakfast swindled $500K, feds say. She’s off to prison

Bookkeeper embezzled $700,000 from employers, including Denny’s restaurants, feds say