A former executive for Oakes Farms claims he stole for its owner, not from its owner.
In his answer to an amended lawsuit filed in federal court, Steven A. Veneziano, Jr., contends his accusers got it wrong.
In the civil suit, Veneziano is accused of fraud and embezzlement for stealing millions from Naples-based Oakes Farms and its local affiliates.
Veneziano paints another story.
In his answer, he points the finger back at the plaintiffs and his former boss, Alfie Oakes.
With them, he claims to have committed numerous crimes, including government and insurance fraud, for their mutual benefit, and the benefit of “other coconspirators.”
More about the lawsuit involving Oakes Farms
The suit alleges that Veneziano used his “nearly unfettered access” to the Oakes’ accounts, information and administration to steal money and support a lavish lifestyle and gambling habit starting in 2022, after…
PAYROLL & HR CONTROLS (PREVENTING “GHOST” SCHEMES)
Payroll fraud is often the hardest to detect because it “looks” like a normal business expense.
- Segregation of Duties (SoD): The person who adds new employees to the system must not be the same person who approves the monthly pay run.
- Mandatory Vacation Policy: Require all financial and HR staff to take 5–10 consecutive days of leave annually. Fraud often surfaces when the perpetrator isn’t there to “hide” the trail.
- Ghost Employee Audit: Perform a quarterly “Headcount Reconciliation” where managers must physically verify every name on their payroll list exists.
- Self-Pay Blocking: Ensure the payroll software has a hard-coded block preventing administrators from editing their own salary or bank details.