Former account executive charged with stealing $3 million from employer

 

Date: February 4, 2022

Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov

Camden, NJ — A Camden County, New Jersey, woman was charged with embezzling millions of dollars from a New Jersey-based company where she was the senior accountant, accounting manager and senior financial shared services manager, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Jennifer Vandever, of Atco, New Jersey, is charged by indictment with four counts of wire fraud, one count of unauthorized use of access devices, one count of aggravated identity theft and four count of tax evasion. She appeared by videoconference today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio and was released on $100,000 unsecured bond.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From 2011 to 2018, Vandever worked as a supervisor in Company 1's accounting department. Vandever embezzled from Company 1 by charging significant amounts of personal expenses for herself and her family on the company's corporate credit cards issued in the name of Individual 1 and on a department issued card. Vandever concealed her personal use of the corporate credit cards from Company 1 and directed payment of those personal expenses from corporate funds unbeknownst to her employer. The scheme totaled $3 million. For the four years 2015 through 2018, Vandever attempted to evade $514,801 of federal income taxes on $1.49 million of unreported embezzled taxable income.

Each count of wire fraud is punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. The count of unauthorized use of access devices is punishable by 10 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. The count of aggravated identity theft is punishable by sentence of two years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other term imposed, and a maximum of $250,000. The four counts of tax evasion are each punishable by five years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Montanez in Newark, and special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jacqueline Maguire in Philadelphia, with the investigation leading to the indictment.

The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Jason Richardson of the Criminal Division in Camden.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.