Claremont Woman Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud

CONCORD, N.H. – Bonnie Johnson, 45, of Claremont, New Hampshire, entered a guilty plea in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire for fraudulently procuring more than $600,000 in funds from her employer, announced United States Attorney John P. Kacavas.

            For more than two decades, Johnson was employed by the North Country Smokehouse in Claremont, New Hampshire, as an administrative assistant.  In addition to her administrative responsibilities, Johnson had access to the company’s bank account and American Express corporate credit card, and was authorized to use those accounts and credit lines for business purposes in cases of financial exigency.  Between July 1, 2005, and April 30, 2013, Johnson engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain money from North Country Smokehouse.  To accomplish and carry out the scheme, Johnson fraudulently endorsed company checks made payable to herself, which she then deposited directly into her personal bank account.  The funds, totaling $606,011.77 over the course of approximately eight years, were subsequently used by Johnson for various personal expenditures.

            Johnson faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison and criminal fines of up to $250,000.  Johnson will be released pending sentencing, which is presently scheduled for January 16, 2013.

            Johnson’s prosecution arose from an investigation by the Claremont Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation office in Manchester, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nick Abramson.