A Maryland woman has been sentenced to prison for embezzling more than $200,000 from a federal commission that advises the president and lawmakers about religious freedom.
U.S. District Judge Ellen Huvelle sentenced 48-year-old Carmelita Hines, of Waldorf, to one year and eight months behind bars for the embezzlement scheme, which authorities say lasted between August 2007 and October 2011.
During that time, she defrauded the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom out of $217,074, according to court records. Hines was the commission’s office operations manager.
Court documents say she repeatedly used agency credit cards to make personal expenses and get cash withdrawals.
She used the money to buy gift cards, computer equipment, GPS systems, gasoline, an iPod, cosmetics, movie tickets and cellphones, according to court documents. She also used the money to invest in a program that’s now being sued by the Federal Trade Commission as a “get-rich-quick” scheme.
Hines pleaded guilty to wire fraud in February.
Prosecutors said she covered up the embezzlement by altering credit card statements and other documents.
