Batesburg Woman Sentenced for Wire Fraud and Tax Evasion

Contact Person: Beth Drake (803) 929-3000

Columbia, South Carolina ---- William N. Nettles, United States Attorney for the District of South Carolina announced today that Chandra Padgett, 46 of Batesburg, South Carolina, was sentenced to 87 months incarceration for her conviction on charges of wire fraud and tax evasion. Padgett was an office manager and bookkeeper for Advanced Pain Therapies (APT), a clinic in Irmo, SC. Facts presented during Ms. Padgett’s guilty plea explained that she set up a shell company named PSS (Padgett Specialty Scrapbooking Services). The name PSS was shared with APT’s primary vendor and allowed Padgett to send APT bogus invoices for payment. Between June 2008 and December 2010, Padgett created checks made payable to her company PSS and deposited them in to an account to which she had primary control. During this time, Padgett also made payments to her personal credit cards using APT funds and wrote unauthorized checks to family members for personal expenses. Padgett also used her position as bookkeeper and office manager to increase her own salary without her employer’s authorization or knowledge. According to a forensic accounting performed by APT, Padgett stole approximately $1,941,455.96 from APT. Facts presented during the sentencing hearing indicated that Padgett used the stolen money to finance an extravagant wedding and a lifestyle filled with expensive vacations, gifts and even an expensive New York apartment. Padgett was ordered to pay restitution to her employer and the Internal Revenue Service. Padgett is subject to forfeiture of her assets to satisfy the judgment against her.

The investigation and convictions were pursued by the Internal Revenue Serviceand was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson of the Columbia office.