An Enid woman has been ordered by a federal court to serve a 30-month sentence for her fraudulent activities against two nonprofits. Deborah Wilczek, 46, faced the consequences after a long-running scheme that siphoned more than $400,000 from organizations meant to serve the community. In addition to her prison term, Wilczek will endure three years of supervised release and must pay back $439,749.80 in restitution, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the embezzlement occurred over several years at the YWCA in Enid and the Cimarron Montessori School. Wilczek, using her positions within these organizations, funneled funds through forged checks and unauthorized bank transfers to cover personal expenses. These included payments to her consulting firm and even her personal credit card debts, described in indictment records.
The legal proceedings culminated on November 7, 2023, when Wilczek pleaded guilty to several charges, including possession of a forged security and filing a false tax return for 2020. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announcement detailed that she "admitted she possessed a check with a forged signature written on a bank account belonging to Cimarron and that she filed an income tax return for the 2020 tax year that materially understated her income."
During the sentencing on September 11, Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti did not shy away from underscoring the gravity of Wilczek's actions. Outlining the deeply negative impact her embezzlement had on the nonprofit sector in Enid, Judge DeGiusti's decision factored in the harm done to the community.
The case against Wilczek was the result of collaborative investigative efforts by the FBI Stillwater Resident Agency, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Enid Police Department. Prosecution of the case was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle London. Prospective details and filings regarding the case remain accessible for public examination.
