EMPLOYEE SENTENCED TO OVER 4 YEARS IN PRISON FOR STEALING FROM NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND UP TO 72 OF ITS DISABLED CLIENTS

Greenbelt, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams Jr. sentenced Penny Parker Green, age 34, of Bowie, Maryland, today to 54 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, in connection with a scheme to steal over $166,000 from the ARC of Prince George’s County, which provides in-home support, daycare and employment services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Judge Williams ordered that Green pay restitution of $166,137, and forfeit two laptops, three desktop computers, a printer, XBOX, Wii, Playstation 3 and four HDTVs obtained as a result of the scheme.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge David Beach of the United States Secret Service – Washington Field Office; and Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George's County Police Department.

Green was employed by the ARC of Prince George’s County and according to her plea agreement, from November 2006 to February 2012, Green stole $166,137 from ARC and up to 72 group home residents. Green used her ARC corporate credit card to: purchase airfare to Aruba, an island tour and a sunset sail; install custom closets in her home; and purchase computers, electronics, furniture and other merchandise and services. Green also directed other employees to withdraw cash from individual residents’ bank accounts for her personal use. Finally, Green stole petty cash that was intended for the benefit of individual residents to purchase items for herself. Green concealed the thefts by submitting paperwork that falsely described the expenditures, and then debited individual residents’ accounts for the purchases.

Today’s announcement is part of efforts underway by President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,700 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked the U.S. Secret Service and Prince George's County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Christen A. Sproule, who prosecuted the case.