NEW ORLEANS,LOUISIANA U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced thatKATIE LAROCHE, age 54, a resident of Dallas, Texas, pleaded guilty as charged on July 27, 2022 to a one-count bill of information charging her with wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.
According to court documents,LAROCHEcreated, owned, and operated a business, Capital City Consulting Firm, that purported to provide financial management services. Victim 1 was a client ofLAROCHEs, andLAROCHEwas responsible for performing bookkeeping, accounting, and other financial services for Victim 1 and Victim 1s businesses.LAROCHEhad signatory authority and access to Victim 1s bank accounts.
From about February 2015 through March 2021,LAROCHEengaged in a scheme to defraud Victim 1 and Victim 1s businesses by withdrawing funds from Victim 1s accounts under false pretenses and using the funds for her own benefit. Specifically,LAROCHEfalsely represented that the funds were being used to pay federal income taxes. When Victim 1 askedLAROCHEabout the status of Victim 1s tax obligations,LAROCHElied toVictim 1 as a means of hiding her scheme.LAROCHEalso arranged for monthly payments to pay for an automobile insurance policy benefitting someone other than Victim 1 to be automatically withdrawn from Victim 1s account without Victim 1s knowledge or consent. In total,LAROCHEembezzled $233,363.53 from Victim 1.
LAROCHEfaces up to twenty years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Judge Sarah S. Vance scheduled the sentencing hearing for Oct. 19, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas D. Moses and Jordan Ginsberg are in charge of the prosecution.
Source: U.S. Secret Service