Former Keene Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Almost $500,000

CONCORD - A former Keene woman pleaded guilty today in federal court to stealing almost $500,000 from her employer between 2015 and 2021, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.

Stephanie Pratt, 39, pleaded guilty to wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Landya B. McCafferty scheduled sentencing for November 12, 2024.

Pratt was the office administrator for a company based in Hinsdale, New Hampshire. She had full access to the company's finances, including its bank accounts and credit cards. Over the course of six-and-a-half years, Pratt stole $492,325.34 from the company. She cashed unauthorized checks to herself and entered them as payments to legitimate vendors in the company's accounting system. Pratt also used the company's credit cards to make over 1,000 unauthorized personal purchases, including for items like plane tickets, a smart TV, a hot tub, Patriots tickets, and miscellaneous herbs and spices. She concealed the fraudulent credit card purchases by deleting them on credit card statements her employer received.

The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen is prosecuting the case.

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