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Date: Sept. 25, 2026
Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov
Cheyenne, WY – Laura Marie Means of Jackson, Wyoming, was sentenced Tuesday to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for orchestrating a massive, multiyear wire fraud and tax evasion scheme that defrauded her former employer of nearly $1.5 million.
U.S. District Judge Alan B. Johnson also ordered Means to pay $355,875.32 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and $1,484,104.80 in restitution to her former employer. Means, who was released on a $20,000 unsecured bond following her initial appearance, has been ordered to self-surrender to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons on Dec. 2.
According to court documents, Means was hired in late 2015 as the bookkeeper for a prominent Jackson family business that owned several local lodging and hospitality properties. In her role, Means maintained sole control over employee payroll, bank accounts, and tax reporting.
The fraudulent activity began in February 2019, shortly after Means relocated from Wyoming to Hawaii. Although her employer permitted her to retain her position remotely on the condition that she travel back to Jackson once a month, Means instead used her remote status to execute a sophisticated embezzlement scheme that continued through September 2025.
“Means abused her position of trust to steal more than a million dollars from a family-owned business and then compounded that betrayal by concealing the stolen income and filing false tax returns,” said Todd Wacaser, Special Agent in Charge, Phoenix Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to follow the money and hold accountable those who steal from their employers and attempt to hide their crimes from the tax system.”
“Laura Means abused her position as bookkeeper to siphon money from her employer's business to line her own pockets. Her scheme impacted the business and was devastating to the victims who considered her part of their family,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski.
To execute and conceal the multiyear theft, Means altered QuickBooks accounting entries by routing unauthorized transfers into her personal bank accounts under the guise of standard business expenses such as "supplies" or "invoices." She also utilized a separate, unapproved bank account to divert corporate funds and issued herself unauthorized payments, including duplicate salary payments and unearned bonuses. Because Means managed these financial transactions electronically while living in Hawaii, the fraudulent transfers traveled through interstate wire communications.
The federal prosecution moved rapidly following the formal filing of a criminal information and the issuance of a summons on June 22, 2026. Means waived indictment and entered a guilty plea to Count One (Wire Fraud) and Count Two (Filing a False Tax Return) of the Information during a court hearing in Cheyenne on July 16, 2026, leading to Tuesday's sentencing.
Following Tuesday's sentencing, U.S. Attorney Darin Smith issued a stark warning to future fraudsters.
"Wyoming is a state built on honesty, grit, and respect for the law," Smith said. "People like Means who think they can treat fraud as a business model have no place here. Our federal prosecutors do not blink, they do not slow down, and they will absolutely dismantle your operation."
The case was investigated by IRS-CI, the FBI, and Teton County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Vierbuchen prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
About the United States Attorney's Office
The United States Attorney's Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers.
The Department of Justice's National Fraud Enforcement Division investigates and prosecutes those who commit fraud against the American people. The Fraud Division fulfills its mission by using advanced data-driven investigative techniques; coordinating with agencies responsible for administering taxpayer-funded programs; partnering with federal, tribal, state, territorial and local law enforcement on fraud-fighting efforts; developing systems and processes that ensure efficient identification and investigation of fraud; and equipping prosecutors and law enforcement with state-of-the-art tools and resources needed to bring criminal actors to justice. The division works every day to protect the financial integrity of the United States of America, ensure the vibrancy of the American economy and seek justice for victims of fraud.
On March 16, 2026, President Donald J. Trump issued Executive Order 14395, establishing the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. This sweeping, whole-of-government initiative is designed to orchestrate an aggressive national strategy to dismantle fraud, enforce strict individual eligibility verification and protect hard-earned American tax dollars from systemic exploitation across federal and state-administered benefit networks.
IRS-CI is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. It is the only federal law enforcement agency with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code. IRS-CI has 16 field offices located across the U.S. and maintains an international presence through attaché posts abroad.