Baton Rouge Woman Gets More Than A Year For Embezzling Funds

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A Baton Rouge woman who worked as a bookkeeper for a real estate development firm has been sentenced to more than a year in prison for embezzling nearly $300,000 from the firm and its owner.

U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey sentenced 58-year-old Susan Fonte on Monday to 15 months for committing wire fraud. She faced up to 20 years behind bars.

Zainey also ordered her to pay full restitution to the victim.

Federal prosecutors in New Orleans say Fonte stole more than $192,000 from the firm by forging the owner's signature on company checks that she issued to herself and deposited into her personal checking account. Fonte also allegedly embezzled an additional $95,000 from the firm's owner by withdrawing cash from his personal checking account.