Easley Woman Sentenced to 21 Months for Wire Fraud

An Easley woman has been sentenced and ordered to pay restitution to her victim.

Jenny C. Hood, 35, of Easley was sentenced in federal court in Anderson for wire fraud.

Senior U.S. District Judge G. Ross Anderson, Jr.  of Anderson sentenced Hood to 21 months in jail and ordered her to pay $131,000 in restitution to the victim of her crime.

Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing established that Hood was an employee of Action Research Corporation (“ARC”) and had access to the accounts payable account pursuant to her job duties.

According to a news release, from March 2009 to February 2011, Hood diverted funds belonging to ARC to her personal accounts totaling $126,073.92 beyond her payroll income. Hood was able to then falsify the payroll ledgers and thereby obtaining additional funds by making payments to contract and former employees during the pay periods they were not present or following their departure from ARC.

The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service.