Two other letters, also critical of Steele, were submitted for the courts consideration in March. Former Hickory CEO sentenced to 8 years in prison in $15M embezzlement We are gratified that justice if being done.. The attorneys also claimed the corporate culture at TIGRA brought out the worst in Steele. Fortunately, (AdSign) caught on to her. Before Donna Osowitt Steele was charged with embezzling $15 million from TIGRA USA in Hickory, she pleaded guilty to embezzling from a family business in Winston-Salem in 1995. Authorities believed she used money to also fund family businesses that were located in Alexander County, north of Hickory. Court documents showed Steele spent over half a million on jewelry alone. High quality craftsmanship, wonderful . You can cancel at any time. The attorneys said that TIGRAs work environment was one where drinking was a big part of the culture and executives would hold meetings at a nude spa in Germany and subject Steele to sexual innuendo. We grabbed lunch downtown and then took a brief stroll on the City Walk. Prosecutors said Steele used company credit cards, checks and wire transfers to steal company funds. You can cancel at any time. Carter described the barn as shabby chic. The barn has two white brick silos near the entrance, both more than two stories tall. Donna Steele, 47, is accused of embezzling $15 million from 2013 until 2020 from her employer, Tigra, in Hickory where she worked as CEO. Donna Osowitt Steele admitted Wednesday to embezzling more than $15 million from a company in Hickory where she was once CEO. She agreed to start early repayment in March. A Hickory man charged in a fatal hit-and-run in Claremont made his first appearance in Catawba County court on Monday. Donna Osowitt Steele, 53, received her sentence Thursday . Carter said she was speechless the first time she came down the driveway to the barn venue. This is not the first time Steele has faced criminal charges. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Oliver's Landing New Build. I was like, Gosh, that sounds really cool. It sounds cool, Carter said. Carter spent the last 20 years as an event planner for Chick-fil-A, she said. Alexander County woman expected to plead guilty in $15M embezzlement case. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. We didnt know what we were doing because we didnt get an email a text message a phone call or anything about what to do, Couch said. A cabin on the property can be used as a vacation rental for out-of-town guests. She did not produce the money, so Judge G.K. Butterfield sentenced her to serve at least 10 months in prison, according to the court documents. The judge could also consider that in the 1990s, Steele was jailed for her role in another embezzlement case where she was accused of stealing half a million dollars from a family-owned business near Winston-Salem. Hickory fiber optic manufacturer CommScope was the victim of a ransomware attack in late March, the company confirmed in a statement Tuesday. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. You have permission to edit this article. Federal defendant Donna Steele arrives at the federal courthouse in Charlotte for sentencing on embezzlement charges in November. Steele worked at TIGRA USA in Hickory from 1999 to January 2020. CHARLOTTE A Taylorsville woman accused of embezzling millions of dollars from her employer accepted a plea deal in federal court Wednesday morning in Charlotte. We were so blown away with what she did to us, Perkins said. You look at what she did to him, maybe he wouldnt have been that shocked.. Former NC CEO accused of embezzling $15 million accepts plea deal. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Employees of a tool company in Hickory condemned their former CEO Donna Steele as a manipulative liar in letters to a federal judge intended to influence sentencing in Steeles embezzlement case. Email: kgriffin@hickoryrecord.com. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Former NC CEO accused of embezzling $15 million accepts plea deal In addition to the prison term, Judge Kenneth Bell also ordered Steele to pay nearly $17 million in restitution, and she is required to stay on supervised release for three years following her active sentence. There was a problem saving your notification. Steele faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. A colleague came for a visit recently. Jack Perkins died in May 2021. Detailed court records of the case have since been destroyed, but a summary of the case was available at the Forsyth County Courthouse. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Steele's Farms property purchased for $1.5 million; new owners plan to A man was arrested on an attempted rape charge thanks to the quick action of a local businessman and his friend. District court records are destroyed after three years of the case being resolved in court. We have chickens. This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Steele appeared in . Standing before Bell, Steele said: I am completely broken by my actions, my choice and my past. Steele was joined in the courtroom by four rows of family and friends. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Steeles criminal record goes as far back as 1990 when she was first charged with embezzlement. Cayer also said Steele cannot leave the Western District of North Carolina without the courts permission. St, Hickory, NC. Downtown Hickory NC. A barn on the property has been turned into an event venue. The inside of the barn is completely white. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). After pleading guilty, Channel 9 now knows that as part of her plea agreement, Steele has agreed to pay full restitution in the embezzlement case and is liquidating her assets, according to court documents. Steele pleaded guilty to wire fraud . . Select this result to view Donna M Steele's phone number, address, and more. Along with the embezzlement charge in 1995, Steele has also pleaded guilty to fraud rental vehicle in Forsyth County in 1995, two counts of forgery in Forsyth County in 1994, two counts of worthless checks in Forsyth County in 1994, four counts of worthless checks in 1994 in Yadkin County, five counts of worthless checks in 1995 in Davie County, and four counts of worthless checks in 1995 in Forsyth County, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety website. Steele's Farms property purchased for $1.5 million; new owners plan to use as farm, event venue. She transferred more than $350,000 of embezzled money to the family company. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Donna Steele enters the federal courthouse in Charlotte to plead guilty to wire fraud on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022. Donna Osowitt Steele is accused of embezzling more than $15 million from her employer, Tigra, in Hickory between 2013 and 2020. By using this website, you accept the terms of our Visitor Agreement and Privacy Policy, and understand your options regarding Ad Choices. Bernd Motzer confirmed the unnamed company is USA Tigra. A man was arrested on an attempted rape charge thanks to the quick action of a local businessman and his friend. Steele admitted that, in an effort to hide the fraudulent scheme, she limited communications and interactions between the employees and owners for TIGRA and monitored communications that did occur, she convinced employees that company owners should be feared, and lied to employees about the true nature of TIGRAs financial trouble, according to the news release. Once Steele was fired, the company no longer had inventory problems, company credit cards were not declined and there were no longer issues with employee payroll and insurance, according to the documents. Business owner says Alexander County woman's embezzlement scheme in Ellendale is a rural community in Alexander County and the community volunteer fire department sits beside the farm. Assistant United States Attorney Maria Vento of the U.S. Attorneys Office in Charlotte, is prosecuting the case. They noted the company hired and promoted Steele despite her lack of education and the fact she was on supervised release after serving a federal prison sentence for personally cashing checks from another business. Online court records dont list an attorney for her or a date for an initial court appearance. Holm wrote that she was hired at age 23 and that working under Steele had a detrimental and lasting impact on both my mental and emotional health. She recalled being bombarded by angry customers unhappy with the service from the company and having to work overtime to satisfy those customers. [ALSO READ: Former high school booster . That girl, shes evil, Britt Perkins said. It was said in court that TIGRA is looking for more than $16 million in restitution. He would have been floored if he heard this (the latest charges). Taylorsville resident Donna Osowitt Steele also illegally spent $1 million on travel, $200,000 on family weddings, $100,000 on . The memo said she blamed the owners for financial irregularities such as lapses in health insurance coverage and late paychecks. Hickory fiber optic manufacturer CommScope was the victim of a ransomware attack in late March, the company confirmed in a statement Tuesday. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Email Address: s XBCM @yahoo.com. A judge will decide the total restitution. You can cancel at any time. The court documents state that Steele was suffering from a mental condition that was insufficient to constitute a defense but significantly reduced the defendants capability. CHARLOTTE, N.C., NOV. 3, 2022 - Donna Osowitt Steele, 53, of Taylorsville, N.C., was sentenced today to eight years in prison for embezzling more than $15 million from her former employer, announced Dena J. Steele was also charged with fraudulent rental of motor vehicle in April of 1995, according to court documents. 2023 Cox Media Group. A motion filed by the prosecution last week listed the agreed-upon restitution amount at roughly $16.9 million and included a nearly 2-page list of jewelry and accessories the government has seized. Former Chief Executive Officer Pleads Guilty To Embezzling More Than Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. The owners say the farmhouse on the property will eventually be a rental option as part of wedding packages. After pleading guilty earlier this year, Channel 9 learned that as part of her plea agreement, Steele agreed to pay full restitution in the embezzlement case and is liquidating her assets. Kasie Mooneyham, Kyle Chapman and Sarah Holm presented a damning portrait of Steele as a master manipulator and habitual liar who created an environment of perpetual paranoia and anxiety.. @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/SVeD7EhyWr. She claimed her parents were very wealthy and that was how she could afford all of the stuff she did, he said. Neither Steeles attorney nor a federal prosecutor involved in the case had returned a call asking for more details on the prepayment as of noon on Thursday. He admits it was a difficult time for his bride-to-be. TIGRA USA, Inc. , Vice President Mrs. Donna Steele 1106 8th ST CT SE Hickory, NC 28602, USA. Donna Steele, seen here in January walking to the federal courthouse to plead guilty to embezzling millions from a Hickory company, is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 3. Even a billboard with the Steele name on it is now available after her wedding venue down the road was sold. The company almost did go under, Motzer said. I started freaking out. S. Cayer said in court. Prosecutors said Steele had a multi-faceted embezzlement scheme, using her position to make more than $6 million in personal credit card purchases, approximately 98 checks totaling more than $2.8 million, 127 QuickBooks transactions totaling more than $4.7 million; and at least 117 wire transfers totaling more than $2.2 million.
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