Lauren Williams Eldridge, 38, of Pine Mountain, has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for embezzling $453,876.64 from Keller Williams Realty River Cities in Columbus, Georgia. The sentencing was announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia.
Eldridge, who served as the firm’s office manager and bookkeeper, pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud on January 29. In addition to the prison term, she was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to repay the full amount stolen.
According to federal officials, Eldridge diverted company funds to pay off her personal American Express credit card between January 2017 and September 2022. The fraudulent transactions were disguised as legitimate business payments.
The scheme was uncovered in October 2022 when Keller Williams representatives identified financial irregularities. After failing to explain the transactions during an internal review, Eldridge resigned.
U.S. District Judge Clay Land imposed the sentence, which does not include parole. Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker stated that employee theft impacts not only businesses but also their customers and the wider community. FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown also commented on the case, noting that the fraud was a misuse of the company’s financial resources.
The investigation and prosecution were handled by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.
