Reginald A. DeMatteis, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, joins U.S. Attorney Murray in making todays announcement.
According to allegations contained in the indictment, beginning in July 2015, Watson was employed as a payroll administrator for the North and South Carolina Division of a Non- Profit Company (Company A), at their office in Charlotte, N.C. Company As employees received their paychecks through pre-paid debit cards, direct deposit, and by check. As payroll administrator, Watson knew which employees were paid by pre-paid debit card and which were paid by direct deposit and check.
Watson was also responsible for providing payroll information to Company As payroll processors, who used the information to load the employees pre-paid debit cards by drawing funds from Company As bank account.
The indictment alleges that from 2015 through November 2018, Watson exploited her position as payroll administrator to embezzle money from her employer, by using the personal identification information of Company As current and former employees to create fraudulent pre-paid debit cards in their names. Once the pre-paid debit cards were created, Watson loaded funds onto the pre-paid debit cards by logging in and accessing the payroll processors dedicated web portals to transmit and submit payroll information. After activating the pre-paid debit cards, the indictment alleges that Watson used the pre-paid debit cards for her personal benefit, including to make ATM cash withdrawals. In total, Watson embezzled at least $200,000 from the non-profit.
A federal summons for Watson has been issued. The wire fraud charge carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and a $250,000 fine.
All charges contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law. In making todays announcement U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the United States Secret Service for their investigation of this case, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their invaluable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorneys Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.
-- Western District of North Carolina
Source: U.S. Secret Service