Regene Newman, a 59-year-old resident of Evansville, has been sentenced to 1.5 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud. She will also serve three years of supervised release following her incarceration. Newman has already paid $101,133.55 in restitution to two victims and settled privately with a third.
Court documents reveal that Newman misused her positions of trust over more than seven years, taking over $125,000 intended for community programs and nonprofit organizations. The stolen funds were used for personal expenses at various retailers.
From 2015 through June 2021, Newman was the Director of Finance for the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office. In this role, she had access to both an office credit card and a debit card belonging to My Goals, a nonprofit under the Prosecutor’s Office designed to assist at-risk youth.
Between March 2016 and March 2021, she made about $60,028.66 in unauthorized purchases using the My Goals debit card. To hide these transactions, she arranged false “donations” from the Prosecutor’s Office by submitting fraudulent Accounts Payable Vouchers. These fake donations were intended to make it appear as if the funds supported My Goals’ mission. During this period, she also made $26,381.04 in unauthorized purchases with the Prosecutor’s Office credit card.
After leaving the Prosecutor’s Office in June 2021, Newman became Business Director for Vanderburgh County Community Corrections where she gained access to another county credit card and managed a local nonprofit's checking account that supports individuals dealing with addiction. She then made an additional $10,725 in unauthorized credit card purchases and $23,929.46 in unauthorized debit card purchases.
“Regene Newman stole from public institutions and nonprofit organizations whose mission was to serve vulnerable members of the Vanderburgh County community. She deliberately exploited positions of public trust to fund a lifestyle of self-indulgence—stealing not only taxpayer dollars, but also resources earmarked for addiction treatment and youth intervention,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Today’s sentence is a stark reminder that those who abuse positions of trust and steal from the public will be held accountable.”
“This sentencing underscores an uncompromising truth: those who corrupt positions of trust and steal from the public will be brought to justice,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy O’Malley. “For years, Regene Newman diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars intended to serve at-risk youth in Vanderburgh County, instead funding a life of personal extravagance. This calculated abuse represents not only financial theft but a profound betrayal of the very communities these resources were meant to uplift. The FBI will continue to pursue those who exploit the public trust and ensure they are met with the full weight of accountability.”
“This outcome reflects the strength of interagency collaboration and the importance of vigilant oversight,” said Paul Joyce, State Examiner. “The State Board of Accounts is proud to work alongside our federal partners to uncover fraud and restore integrity to public service. We remain steadfast in our mission to ensure that public funds serve the people- not the personal interests of those entrusted to manage them.”
The case was investigated by both the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Indiana State Board of Accounts; U.S District Judge Richard L. Young imposed Newman's sentence.
U.S Attorney Wheeler acknowledged Assistant U.S Attorney Matthew B Miller for prosecuting this case.
