Erin Martin, a 53-year-old resident of Tonawanda, New York, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison for wire fraud. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo. In addition to her prison sentence, Martin is required to pay full restitution to the business she defrauded.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno provided details on the case, revealing that between April 2022 and June 10, 2024, Martin embezzled funds from her employer in Amherst, New York. Employed as a Senior Staff Accountant, she reported directly to the Chief Financial Officer and was responsible for ensuring timely payment of vendor invoices.
Martin executed her fraudulent scheme by creating fake vendor invoices addressed to her employer. She then made unauthorized electronic funds transfers from the company's bank account into her personal account under the guise of paying these fictitious invoices. Over the course of this period, Martin conducted 95 such transfers amounting to $440,395.00. The embezzled funds were used for personal expenses and those of family members.
The investigation leading to Martin's sentencing was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Grimm overseeing the operation.
