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Louisiana Woman Sentenced for Defrauding Her Employer of More than $149,000

Published December 6, 2021

Louisiana – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Yvette L. Fontenot, 54, of Carencro, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays to 14 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for using or trafficking in an unauthorized access device. Fontenot was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $149,461.48.

On August 20, 2021, Fontenot pleaded guilty to the charge. Fontenot worked at Periodontics Associates in Lafayette, Louisiana, as an office manager. Fontenot was authorized to use certain credit cards for business costs, as well as certain company accounts to pay credit card bills and other business expenses, while in that position.

Fontenot utilized several of Periodontics Associates’ company credit cards for personal purchases for herself and her family from November 2008 to August 2016, according to evidence given before the court. Fontenot was aware that these credit cards had been obtained and authorized only for business purposes, and that the credit card balances would be paid from other business accounts. In actuality, Fontenot’s credit card balances and personal expenses were paid with corporate monies using business checks issued by Fontenot herself. She did so with the intention of defrauding the corporation for personal gain to which she had no right. The amount of loss incurred by the corporation was $149,461.48 as determined by the criminal proceedings.

The United States Secret Service investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Myers P. Namie prosecuted the case.