Corporate controller admits to embezzling funds

Date: July 8, 2026

Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov

DETROIT – A small business’s former financial controller, who engaged in a pattern of embezzling funds from his employer, pleaded guilty yesterday, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.

Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Robert Kuszynski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

Jacob Wise from Riverview, Michigan, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud for orchestrating a scheme that caused over $1.1 million in losses to the business where he worked. He also pleaded guilty to one count of laundering the proceeds of his crimes. 

At the hearing, Wise admitted to devising and executing a scheme to order and to divert the company’s funds to bank accounts he controlled. The accounts appeared to be legitimate vendors for the company. In reality, Wise himself controlled the accounts and used the diverted funds to make purchases, including a Ford F-150 pickup truck, which agents seized as part of the investigation.

Sentencing before United States District Judge Judith Levy will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Wise faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of not more than $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. 

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly Fasbinder and Philip A. Ross.

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 18 field offices located across the U.S. and maintains an international presence through attaché posts abroad.