The federal courthouse in Topeka, Kansas. Photo: Melodie Woerman/ENS
[Episcopal News Service – Topeka, Kansas] The Episcopal priest who served as chief executive officer of a Kansas nonprofit that provides foster care services to much of the state pleaded guilty Feb. 19 in a U.S. District Court to one count of wire fraud, a felony that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
The Rev. Robert N. Smith, who led the Salina, Kansas-based Saint Francis Ministries from 2014 to 2020, was charged on Nov. 9, 2022, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 15 counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
After Smith made his plea, Judge Toby Crouse ruled that he was guilty and set July 15 as the date for his sentencing.
The case against Smith stemmed from his association with William Whymark, whom he hired to oversee information technology services at…
This category refers to crimes committed by employees or insiders against their own organizations. It is often the most damaging because the perpetrator has authorized access to systems.
- Asset Misappropriation: The most common form, involving the theft of company resources. This ranges from simple “skimming” (taking cash before it’s recorded) to complex schemes involving the theft of inventory or intellectual property.
- Payroll Fraud: Employees may create “ghost employees” on the system, falsify their own timesheets to claim unworked overtime, or divert salary payments to their own accounts.
- Financial Statement Fraud: Management deliberately misrepresents the company’s financial health by inflating revenue or hiding liabilities to attract investors or meet performance bonuses.