Former Finance Director pleads guilty to embezzling $3 million+ from two local non-profits

Seattle – The former Finance Director at two Seattle area non-profits pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to embezzling more than $3 million from her employers, announced U.S. Attorney Nick Brown.  Susana Tantico, 62, of Renton, Washington committed the embezzlement over a nine-year period.  Tantico will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge James L. Robart for two counts of wire fraud on August 15, 2023.

“Ms. Tantico was a trusted financial professional who sadly used her skills to steal from organizations serving those most in need of help,” said U.S. Attorney Brown.  “Each time she used the organization’s credit card for trips, gambling, or clothing, she knew she was effectively stealing from people who depended on assistance from her employer. Then she used her access to the organization ledgers to cover-up the theft.  The true victims are the clients who should have been served with the funds she stole.”

According to the charging information and plea agreement, in 1999 Tantico began working for a non-profit that provides healthcare to underserved populations.  Ultimately, Tantico became the non-profit’s Finance Director.  Between 2011 and June 2020, Tantico embezzled nearly $2.3 million from the healthcare non-profit.  She used the non-profit’s debit and credit cards to withdraw $1.6 million at casinos for gambling.  She also used the debit and credit cards to pay for personal vacations, such as a $26,000 family trip to Disneyworld, and trips to Las Vegas and San Diego.  Tantico also used the medical non-profit’s debit and credit cards for more than $83,000 worth of purchases at Nordstrom and $40,000 worth of purchases at Apple stores.

After running up the big bills, Tantico used the non-profit’s funds to pay the credit card bills and disguised the payments as legitimate expenses, such as medical supplies.  Throughout this timeframe, Tantico told the non-profit auditors that she was aware of no fraud at the non-profit. 

In 2020, Tantico went to work as Finance Director for a different non-profit -- one with a focus on criminal justice issues.  Tantico used more than $485,000 of the non-profit’s funds for gambling at casinos.  She transferred $21,000 from the non-profit to her mortgage servicer to pay her home mortgage.  She also transferred money to her personal bank account.  Tantico then altered the bank records to hide the embezzlement.  At one point, she was questioned by one of the organization’s banks about all the withdrawals at casinos.  She claimed that the non-profit held youth programs at the casinos and claimed the withdrawals were for cash prize giveaways.  In all, Tantico stole nearly $893,000 from the non-profit.  The non-profit has incurred $132,000 in costs to forensically audit its books, fix its accounting procedures and records, and reply to vendors.

Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a prison sentence of no more than 41 months in prison.  Judge Robart is not bound by the recommendation and can impose any sentence allowed by law.

Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the FBI. 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Wilkinson.