A former bookkeeper was sentenced for embezzling over $450,000 from a family-owned trucking company in Iowa.
The details: Leann Marie Rouse, 51, from Toledo, Iowa, was sentenced on October 30, 2024, to two years in federal prison for wire fraud.
- Rouse worked as a bookkeeper for the Traer, Iowa-based company starting in 2011.
- Between January 2015 and August 2020, she issued 242 unauthorized checks to steal $453,672.68.
- She manipulated accounting entries to disguise the theft as business expenses.
The big picture: Rouse was ordered to repay the stolen amount and will serve three years under supervised release after her prison term.
What they’re saying: The U.S. Attorney's Office emphasizes the severity of the financial fraud, and the decision to hold Rouse accountable exemplifies their commitment to protecting businesses from theft.
By the numbers: The financial deception lasted over five years and was uncovered thanks to investigations by the FBI and the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, reported the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Rouse must surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a yet-to-be-determined date. There is no parole in the federal system.