Spring Hill Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzling From Employer

Tampa, Florida – Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow announces that Rebecca Smith (46, Spring Hill) today pleaded guilty to mail fraud. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, Smith worked as a purchasing agent in the Pasco County office of Waste Management, Inc., a Houston-based company that provides waste disposal and environmental services across the country. Between October 2015 and September 2016, Smith placed dozens of unauthorized purchase orders with corporate vendors for a wide array of products, ranging from industrial equipment to big-screen televisions. When the vendors sent invoices for these purchases, Smith intercepted them, forged her supervisor's initials to mark their approval, and submitted them for payment. Smith had the items shipped to either her residence or her office, in which case she would take them home. Although the company was ultimately able to recoup some of its losses by returning of some of the merchandise, it ultimately lost over $91,000 as a result of Smith's scheme.

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Gerard.