Mother and daughter plead guilty to defrauding Port of Hope

MIDDLETON, IDAHO – Bobbi A. George, 31, of Middleton, Idaho, pled guilty on Monday, October 25, to wire fraud as a result of her involvement in the misappropriation of $177,000 from the Port of Hope, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced. Her mother, Connie Stills, 55, of Middleton, Idaho, admitted her role in the scheme and pled guilty in September 2010 to mail fraud by embezzling from Port of Hope approximately $1.3 million and filing false tax returns.

From 2004 to 2008, George was employed in the office at Port of Hope Centers, Inc., in Nampa, Idaho, a non-profit entity which operates drug and alcohol treatment centers throughout Idaho. Her mother was employed from 1991 to 2008 as a bookkeeper at Port of Hope Centers, Inc.

The investigation revealed that between 2004 and 2008, Stills made unauthorized payments from a Port of Hope account to George’s personal credit card of approximately $67,853. Stills also made direct electronic fund transfers from a Port of Hope account to George’s personal bank account of approximately $98,478. George further embezzled approximately $20,268 by incurring personal expenses on a Port of Hope credit card account and using the entity’s funds to pay for those personal charges.

George’s wire fraud charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, supervised release of up to three years, and a fine of up to $250,000. Stills’ filing false tax return charge carries a maximum prison sentence of three years, supervised release of up to three years, and a fine of up to $250,000. Stills’ mail fraud charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, supervised release of up to three years, and a fine of up to $250,000.

Sentencing for George is scheduled for January 12, 2011, and December 9, 2010, for Stills, both before Chief United States District Judge B. Lynn Winmill in Boise.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Nampa Police Department.

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