Marcia Joseph has been charged with wire fraud in connection with her embezzlement of approximately $2.3 million from her employer, a non-profit organization that provides employment and education services for those in need. If convicted, the defendant faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
“As alleged, Joseph lined her pockets with millions of dollars that she stole from a charity,” said Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. “Money that should have gone to support those with employment and educational needs instead was used to pay for the defendant’s personal expenses, including mortgage payments, spa treatments, home remodeling, and landscaping. Today’s charges send a message to those entrusted with positions of trust that if you abuse that trust for personal gain, you will be arrested and prosecuted.”
Joseph was arrested earlier today and made her initial her initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Kuo. The defendant was released on a $50,000 bond.
According to the complaint, Joseph was the senior fiscal officer of a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Brooklyn that provides comprehensive services to support employment opportunities for persons with emotional, developmental, and/or physical disabilities. Joseph set up a company called Prestige Business Services which purported to provide specialized services to other companies on behalf of the nonprofit.
In truth, Prestige performed no work, and instead was used by Joseph for the exclusive purpose of embezzling more than $2.3 million from the non-profit over a 16-year period. Joseph used the embezzled funds to pay for numerous personal expenses, including approximately $235,000 in mortgage payments; 207,000 in credit card payments; $98,000 in car payments; $45,000 in Amazon expenses; and various other personal items, such as home remodeling, spa treatment, landscaping expenses, and luxury goods. Joseph also withdrew nearly $100,000 in cash, disbursed approximately $16,000 to friends and family, and issued approximately $50,000 in Prestige checks to herself.
