A former assistant controller at a Pennsylvania-based metal salvage company, Triad Metals International, has been sentenced to just over three years in prison for embezzlement and tax fraud. Tammy Simpson, 51, of Pocono Lake, PA, was found guilty of using her role within the company to improperly divert more than $3 million into her personal accounts and failing to report this income on her tax returns accurately. The case, prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney MaryTeresa Soltis, was jointly investigated by the FBI and the IRS Criminal Investigation.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, from United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero, Simpson has been ordered to pay sizable restitution—$3,199,192.68, to be exact—to Triad Metals International, alongside an additional $708,643 to the Internal Revenue Service. Simpson's sentencing comes after a guilty plea in June of 2023 to charges including eight counts of wire fraud and four counts of making and subscribing a false tax return. Simpson's misuse of her position began in 2012. It continued until her termination in October 2019, when she was found to have used company funds to pay for various personal expenses.
"Tammy Simpson was a valued employee, entrusted with significant financial responsibilities,” U.S. Attorney Romero stated, as per the U.S. Department of Justice. “For years, she abused that trust and her access to the business’s accounts, stealing more than $3 million of Triad’s money so she could continue to live beyond her own means." Further amplifying the misconduct, the FBI's Special Agent in Charge of Philadelphia, Wayne A. Jacobs, highlighted that Simpson was fueling her lifestyle through the stolen funds. This included transgressions like covering her personal credit card bills, airfare, and entertainment with money not hers to spend. Denise Leuenberger, IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge, also weighed in on the gravity of Simpson's actions about tax violations.
The collaborative work of law enforcement agencies underscores a collective resolve to confront financial crimes. "The FBI alongside our partners at the IRS and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to pursue criminals who orchestrate their schemes out of greed", Jacobs elucidated, as per the U.S. Department of Justice. The case punishes Simpson for her violations and aims to send a clear deterrent to any individual considering similar fraudulent behavior. As Leuenberger put it, cited by the U.S. Department of Justice, "We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to continue aggressively investigating individuals who engage in money laundering, tax fraud, or other types of white-collar crimes."
