On Wednesday, a federal jury in Wilmington convicted a Port Deposit, MD woman of wire fraud for obtaining more than a quarter of a million dollars from her employer, a Delaware medical practice, by charging unauthorized personal expenses to her business credit card.
In such cases, the identity of the business or practice is usually not disclosed.
According to court records and evidence presented, Kimberly Sponaugle, 44, made over 3,000 personal purchases with her business credit card, totaling well over $250,000 during six years.
While working as a business manager for the medical practice, Sponaugle used her employer’s funds to pay for a wide range of goods, including her home power bills and multiple domestic and international vacations for herself and others. Sponaugle hid the spending by mischaracterizing her personal purchases in the business’s bookkeeping software, denying others access to her credit card statements, and utilizing other means.
David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, commented on the verdict, “As a business manager, Ms. Sponaugle served in a position of trust. She betrayed that trust, putting personal greed ahead of her job responsibilities and enriching herself by taking her employer’s money. My office and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue those who commit financial fraud at the expense of their employers.”
