SANFORD, Fla. – A former accountant with Kids House of Seminole, a Children’s Advocacy Center in Sanford, was arrested Thursday after having fraudulently obtained $129,231.54 from the non-profit, according to the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
Carrie Wagner, 61, is accused of using her exclusive access to the organization’s financial resources to knowingly and willingly acquire the money under false and fraudulent pretenses, according to her arrest report. Wagner would print forged payment checks that she would deposit or cash, she would wire herself money through Zelle and she would attempt to cover her tracks by manipulating financial data in QuickBooks, deputies said.
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Juliette Kong, CEO of Kids House of Seminole, reported Wagner for the fraudulent checks on July 7, providing sworn testimony to the Seminole Financial Crimes Task Force. Detectives interviewed Wagner on July 15 and proceeded to spend more than three months collecting statements, bank records, interviews and other supporting documents, returning Thursday to make the arrest at Wagner’s home.
According to the arrest report, Wagner turned herself in to law enforcement without incident.
During the investigation, detectives said they learned Wagner intended to use the stolen money to gamble at the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa.
“It shows the lengths Carrie went to with the intent to permanently deprive Kids House of Seminole, Inc, from $129,231.54 worth of their own funds,” the arrest report said.
Wagner is charged with grand larceny of $100,000 or more, scheming to defraud $50,000 or more, using a computer to defraud, accessing a computer without authority, and 27 counts each of forgery and cash/deposit with intent to defraud.
Wagner is being held at the Seminole County Jail on $145,000 bond, and will make her first appearance at 2 p.m. on Friday.