Bethany Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $850,000 From Former Employer

OKLAHOMA CITY – Yesterday, JEANNIE VALENTIN, 68, of Bethany, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to a single-count felony Information charging her with wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

Public records reflect that from 2000 until 2020, Valentin was the credit manager for the Oklahoma City branch of Dealers Electrical Supply (“DES”).  DES was an electrical supplies distributor headquartered in Waco, Texas.  Valentin was responsible for the management of the consolidated billing for DES’s customers, which included processing checks made payable to DES and then forwarding the checks to DES’s accounts payable department.

Yesterday, at a change of plea hearing before United States District Judge Bernard M. Jones, Valentin admitted that in 2003, she added “DESCO” as a DBA (“doing business as”) to her personal WEOKIE checking account without DES’s knowledge or authorization.  Valentin further admitted that between 2003 and 2017, she diverted approximately 144 checks sent from customers for payment to DES and deposited each of these checks into her personal WEOKIE checking account without DES’s authorization.  Valentin further admitted that used these funds to pay for various personal services and expenses.  As a result of this scheme, Valentin defrauded DES out of approximately $854,449.06.

A sentencing hearing will take place in approximately 90 days.  At sentencing, Valentin faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.  She will also be ordered to pay restitution.

This case is a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Oklahoma City Field Office.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Brown.

Reference is made to court filings for further information.