Embezzler sentenced to five years

TAMPA — A Palmetto woman who falsely told her employer she was a former IRS agent in order to embezzle more than $700,000 has been sentenced to five years and thee months in federal prison.

Beverly Sue Gingell, 61, pleaded guilty Oct. 22 to wire fraud and obstructing and impeding the administration of the Internal Revenue Service. U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday, in the sentencing order issued Jan. 9, also ordered Gingell to pay $651,347.42 in restitution and to forfeit $745,000, which represents the proceeds of the fraud.

Gingell, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's office, was formerly employed at Bradenton-based Pro-Link, where she was the finance manager. Pro-Link is an immigration services firm.

Gingell falsely represented to Pro-Link she was a certified public accountant with years of experience as a comptroller and was an enrolled IRS agent, according to court documents. From July 2010 through March 2011 authorities say Gingell embezzled $745,000 from the company. She did so, prosecutors contend, by sending money to her own bank account via wire transfer and by obtaining money orders payable to herself and others.

Gingell used one wire transfer to pay off the remaining balance on her mortgage, the release states. She also misrepresented the results of an IRS audit to Pro-Link's owners, authorities say, and effectively concealed her forgery on IRS documents, which resulted in a substantial tax liability to the company.

The case was a joint investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS and the Bradenton Police Department.