Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 45-year-old Tamara Ebo of Buffalo was sentenced this morning by State Supreme Court Justice Christopher J. Burns to an indeterminate sentence of 1 – 3 years in prison.

The defendant, while employed as a case worker for Erie County Department of Social Services Adult Protection, embezzled approximately $42,574.16 from 14 clients between September 1, 2016 and June 30, 2019 through manipulating invoices, falsifying vendor transactions, and directing payments to herself.

The investigation began after the Erie County Department of Social Services received a call from an employee of a non-profit agency who reported several questionable transactions on the account of an individual who was being assisted by an adult protection case worker. The defendant was terminated from her position shortly thereafter.

Ebo pleaded guilty to one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (Class “D” felony), one count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree (Class “E” felony) and one count of Official Misconduct (Class “A” misdemeanor) on February 16, 2021. She pleaded guilty to the highest sustainable charge.

At the time of her plea, Ebo signed a Confession of Judgement to repay $42,574.16. To date, the defendant has paid only $5,000.00 in restitution to Erie County.

“These services are designed to prevent the exploitation of vulnerable adults in our community. She misappropriated funds intended to provide housing, transportation, and other basic needs for clients, many of whom live below the poverty level. In addition to forging documents and fabricating invoices, Ms. Ebo violated the trust given to caseworkers by using her employment as a means to take advantage of the system and the people it serves to protect,” said Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn.

DA Flynn commends Detective Deputy Dan Brinkeroff of the Erie County Sheriff’s Office and Assistant Commissioner-Administration Gavin Kasper of Erie County Department of Social Services for their work in the investigation.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.