VALPARAISO, Fla. — A Valparaiso woman has been sentenced by an Okaloosa County judge to eight years in prison in connection with fraud and money laundering charges from 2020.
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According to an announcement by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO), Janice Porter, 43, stole more than $700,000 from her former employer, a local law firm. Following its investigation, the OCSO charged Porter with fraud – more than $50,000, as well as three counts of money laundering in September 2020.
Investigators said the thefts took place between May 2013 and March 2020.
The victim told the OCSO that Porter had been entrusted to administer the law firm’s financial operating account and all credit card accounts.
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A forensic audit reportedly revealed a scheme by Porter to defraud the firm over a seven-year timeframe, involving unauthorized payroll distributions, bank disbursements, credit card charges, and disbursements totaling $730,356.19, the OCSO said.
According to the OCSO, Porter admitted to hiding the thefts until the amount became so large she said she could no longer conceal it.
In addition to eight years in prison, Porter was ordered to pay $307,000 in restitution.
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