Penni Enama, 50, of Lewes, Delaware, has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion in US District Court in Wilmington.
Enama, who will be sentenced on March 23, 2016, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release.
According to statements made at the plea hearing and documents filed in court, Enama began embezzling funds from a Delaware firm’s escrow account.
Enama was a real estate paralegal, and used her access to a closing escrow account to divert at least $439,824.40 to her personal use.
Enama fabricated additional real estate closing parties in the firm’s records, and she used the additional funds to pay her personal credit cards and/or deposit the funds into her personal bank accounts. Enama did not declare the embezzled funds on her federal income tax returns for the 2011-2013 tax years.
U.S. Attorney Charles Oberly stated, “This is a particularly troublesome case where an experienced para-professional abused her position of trust to steal, at least, nearly $440,000.00 from a Delaware law firm. Whether it is a law firm, a physician’s office, or any office where people are entrusted with handling money, thieves like Ms. Enama can expect to be prosecuted and face incarceration.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Paxton.
