Working for the federal government should provide an employee a certain level of respect in the community. However, government employees are sometimes subjected to heightened background checks, workplace scrutiny and high ethical standards which are sometimes breached by allegations concerning white collar crimes.
Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, residents may think that federal employees know that a clean employment record is a must for government employment. However, the arrest of an employee of the Department of Children and Family Services may test this opinion. According to the report, police arrested the 34-year-old DCFS employee for allegedly using a state-issued credit card to purchase personal items and other merchandise.
Based on the investigation, the suspect is alleged to have used a government-issued card to purchase televisions, cameras, movies, game consoles and mobile devices. He also allegedly used the card to pay for hotel rooms, fuel, rental vehicles and a dishwasher. The authorities claimed that the instances of fraud – considered white collar crimes — occurred over a four-year span.
The man suspected of wrongdoing was the director of the Bureau of Auditing and Compliance Services for DCFS. He was charged with federal program fraud. The man is also facing felony theft in excess of $500, together with malfeasance in office and other illegal possession of stolen items, 38 counts in all. The accused is currently on leave and being held in the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison.
If convicted, the accused DCFS employee may face a $250, 000 fine, 10 years in prison, restitution and three years of supervised released after serving time in jail.
Being charged with a white collar crime may jeopardize an individual’s life and profession. In such a case, a Louisiana resident will want to utilize the knowledge and experience of a legal advocate regarding financial and federal fraud crimes, which will gain the defendant the ability to protect and defend his or her rights.
Source: WAFB.com, “DCFS employee accused of misusing card charged with federal program fraud,” April 9, 2014
