Cape Cod Bookkeeper Admits to Embezzling $1.3 Million

A Cape Cod woman pleaded guilty Thursday in Boston's federal court to embezzling more than $1.3 million from two previous employers.

Jessica L. Greenan, 42, of Centerville, admitted to charges in two separate criminal cases. A Sept. 2019 indictment charged five counts of wire fraud and filing false tax returns for embezzling $1.1 million from a Hyannis company.  A separate Dec. 2019  indictment charged seven counts of wire fraud, two of bank fraud and two of aggravated identity theft for embezzling more than $390,000 from a Cape Cod construction firm.

Greenan was hired by the construction firm after she was arrested for embezzling from the first company and released with conditions, according to a media release from the office of U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling.

From October 2014 to March 2018,  Greenan handled bookkeeping and payroll for the Hyannis company and stole $1,135,460. She wired funds to pay her credit card bills and doctored statements and internal records to make the expenses look legitimate. She also failed to report her illegal income to the IRS, evading more than $325,000 in taxes.

After starting in August 2018 for the construction company, Greenan immediately began stealing and made off with $287,000 before she was discovered. She used company funds to make credit card payments, made $5,300 in unauthorized charges to a company credit card, and converted more than $11,000 in company funds to pay auto loans. She forged the owner's signature to transfer funds then obtained more than $63,00 in unauthorized payroll checks after her employment had been terminated, according to the indictment.

Sentencing before U.S. District Court Judge Allison d. Burroughs is set for Feb. 25.

Each charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, forfeiture and restitution to the victim.

Each charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, a fine of $1 million, forfeiture and restitution. Each charge of false tax returns carries a sentence up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and restitution to the IRS. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two year prison sentence to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed.

U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joleen Simpson, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement. The Chatham Police Department provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of Lelling’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the cases.