NEWARK, NJ—A former receptionist employed by a medical office in Kearny, New Jersey, was sentenced today to two years and 10 months in prison for embezzling more than $446,000 from her former employer, using fraudulent credit cards to obtain more than $200,000 in goods and services and evading taxes on that illegal income, officials said.
Gwendolyn Muller, 53, formerly of Kearny, previously plead guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to one count each of embezzlement, credit card fraud and tax evasion.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Martini sentenced Muller to three years of supervised release and ordered her to pay restitution of $556,000.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, these are the facts and circumstances:
From 2007 through 2011, Muller used her position at the medical practice to take, cash, and conceal more than $446,000 in checks paid by insurance companies to the medical practice for services to patients.
At various times during this same period, Muller also fraudulently obtained 10 credit cards in the name of a principal of the medical practice and used those cards to charge more than $218,000 in goods and services—a portion of which Muller paid for with embezzled funds.
Muller also admitted to filing a false tax return to evade the payment of taxes on this illegally obtained income.