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Former Marriott Director of Finance, Shannon Harp,
Charged with Wire Fraud Involving $2 million Theft
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News for the Hospitality Executive |
| July 10, 2009 - SHANNON HARP,
age 38, a former resident of Metairie, Louisiana, was charged in a
one-count bill of information with wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney
Jim Letten.
According to the bill of information, starting in 2003, HARP, devised a scheme by which money which was supposed to be used to make change at bars, shops and restaurants in three Marriott hotels in New Orleans was stolen by HARP. She allegedly executed internal forms which caused small denominations of currency in a Marriott account at a local bank to be delivered by armored car to the hotel; instead of the money being used to make change, HARP converted the money to her own personal use. The bill further alleges that in order to conceal her scheme to defraud, she made fraudulent entries into the Marriott’s computerized accounting system indicating that money had been deposited back into Marriott accounts, when in truth and in fact, it had not. The computer system in New Orleans was a part of an interstate network, thus resulting in the wire fraud charge. The bill further alleges that HARP fraudulently stole more than two million dollars before the scheme ended in 2006. HARP, over the four (4) year scheme was assigned to the Marriott on Canal Street, the J. W. Marriott and the Marriott on Convention Center Boulevard. If convicted, HARP faces a maximum term of
imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a $250,000 fine and a $100 special
assessment. She could also be ordered to pay restitution to Marriott. The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Carter K. D. Guice, Jr. of the Financial and Computer Crime Unit. |
| Contact: U.S. Attorney's Office |