A Columbiana County woman was named in a 25-count indictment, accused of defrauding her employer out of more than $600,000 over seven years, said Carole S. Rendon, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Sharon Ceasar, also known as Sharon Kay Miller, 48, of Hanoverton, was indicted on 25 counts of wire fraud.
Ceasar was working as the office manager for Foster Trucking & Leasing. In that capacity, she submitted the hours worked by employees, as well as miscellaneous expenses, to a payroll company that issued paychecks. Ceaser, without her employer’s knowledge, falsely stated the amount of overtime she worked, reporting as many 80 hours of overtime a week. She also falsely submitted for reimbursements from the company for expenses she never incurred, according to the indictment.
Ceasar defrauded the company of more than $600,000 from 2006 to 2013 as a result of this fraudulent scheme, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa L. Riley following an investigation by the United States Secret Service and the Columbiana County Sheriff’s Department.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
