Former Financial Officer of Non-Profit Charged with Embezzling over $1.3 Million

BOSTON – The former financial officer of a Boston-based non-profit was arrested today and charged in connection with a fraud and embezzlement scheme that that netted over $1.3 million dollars.

Nicole Lescarbeau, 51, of Canton, was charged in an indictment unsealed today with three counts of wire fraud, five counts of bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Lescarbeau was arrested this morning and will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith Dein this afternoon.

As alleged in the indictment, Lescarbeau served as the financial officer of a small, Boston-based non-profit organization. Her duties included managing incoming invoices, paying bills by check and wire transfer, using and paying credit cards, financial account maintenance, and bookkeeping. As a result, Lescarbeau had access to the non-profit’s checkbook, bookkeeping and accounting software, and online bank accounts.

From August 2013 until her termination in January 2018, Lescarbeau stole funds from the non-profit for her personal use. Specifically, Lescarbeau wrote unauthorized checks to herself using the non-profit’s accounting software and affixed the signatures of the authorized signers on the account. It is also alleged that Lescarbeau repeatedly logged on to the non-profit’s online bank accounts and directed unauthorized payments and transfers for her personal benefit, and that she made unauthorized personal charges using the non-profit’s business credit cards.  In total, Lescarbeau embezzled approximately $1,389,317 from the non-profit organization.

The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year sentence that must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, restitution, and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin D. O’Connell of Lelling’s Economic Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.