Ocean springs woman embezzled $2m from company, didn't pay taxes on take

Ocean Springs Woman Embezzled $2M From Company, Didn’t Pay Taxes on Take

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1 min read
October 16, 2020

Gulfport, Miss –  Lisa Gordon-Scruggs, 53, of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 36 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for filing a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew M. Thornton of IRS Criminal Investigation.  Gordon-Scruggs was also ordered to pay restitution of $593,379.42 to the Internal Revenue Service.

Gordon-Scruggs was the Chief Operating Officer and office manager of Highside Chemicals, Inc. (“Highside”) in Gulfport, Mississippi during the investigative period, from 2013 through 2018.  Based on her position and access to the bank account of Highside, Gordon-Scruggs embezzled over $2 million, which she funneled into accounts she owned, and used to pay off credit cards in her name and a family member.

Gordon-Scruggs pled guilty to one count of knowingly filing a false income tax report for tax year 2014 when she reported taxable income of $34,907, but did not include the $446,423 she had embezzled from Highside that year.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Meynardie.

Phil Stilton

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