A 28-year-old St. Lucie County woman could spend the rest of her life in prison after she pleaded guilty to participating in a wire fraud scheme and embezzling funds from employers, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The woman, identified as Sabrinea Lallonie Brooks, is scheduled to be sentenced on July 26. Then, she’ll find out if she will get the maximum sentence – 165 years – and whether her sentences will be served concurrently or consecutively. If concurrently, she would be out in as many as 20 years.
Brooks pleaded guilty to a number of charges that include seven counts of wire fraud, one count of access device fraud, and one count of forged security.
She could serve up to 20 years per wire fraud charge, 15 years for access device fraud, and 10 years for forged security. If released from prison, she would face up to five years of supervised release and would pay restitution to the victims of the fraud scheme.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Brooks defrauded and embezzled various businesses between February 2014 and December 2015 while employed as a billing and collections specialist. During that time, authorities said, she worked for Apex Billing, LLC, Dream Center for Recovery, Supportive Healthcare Services and Wellness Center of Palm Beach, LLC.
Brooks acquired various pieces of digital information from third-party agents of insurance companies and used the information to route payments elsewhere, effectively stealing more than $463,400. She also intercepted digital payments, collecting more than $57,600, authorities said.
Brooks opened a bank account with a name similar to that of one of her employers – Wellness Center of Palm Beach LLC – and deposited checks meant for her employer into her own, fraudulent business account, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. She deposited more than $352,500 while working for the Wellness Center of Palm Beach.