Executive Summary
- Hava Yfrah Austin, a 58-year-old former bookkeeper from Plantation, Florida, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for embezzling approximately $9.8 million from her employer.
- Austin pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false income tax return, having executed unauthorized wire transfers from the victim company’s accounts to her own business from 2018 through April 2024.
- A significant portion of the stolen funds was used for gambling, and Austin was ordered to pay forfeiture and restitution to compensate the victim company for its financial losses.
Laws and Precedent
- The defendant was sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to federal charges of wire fraud, which targets schemes to defraud using interstate wire communications, and filing a false income tax return, a federal tax offense. This sentencing, including orders for forfeiture and restitution, aligns with federal sentencing guidelines and underscores the U.S. Department of Justice’s prosecution of financial crimes and the IRS’s role in investigating tax evasion related to illicit gains.
A former bookkeeper from Plantation, Florida, has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for embezzling approximately $9.8 million from her employer over six years. Hava Yfrah Austin, 58, received the sentence from Chief U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga on September 15, after pleading guilty to wire fraud and filing a false income tax return by failing to report the stolen funds.
Embezzlement Scheme Details
Austin, who owned and operated Accounting Solutions Today, P.A., a bookkeeping and tax services business in Broward County, also served as a long-time bookkeeper for the victim company. In this capacity, she held signature authority over its bank accounts, enabling her access to company funds.
From 2018 through April 2024, Austin executed unauthorized wire transfers from the victim company’s accounts directly to her own business. Court records indicate that a significant portion of the embezzled funds was subsequently used for gambling at local casinos and through online gaming platforms.
To conceal the extensive theft, Austin meticulously falsified accounting entries in the victim company’s ledgers. She frequently created fraudulent entries under fake, yet similar-sounding, vendor names to obscure the unauthorized transactions.
Official Statements and Investigation
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida emphasized the breach of trust involved in the case. “This defendant betrayed the trust placed in her, stole nearly $10 million, and gambled it away,” Quiñones stated, vowing to hold accountable those who abuse positions of trust and conceal their crimes.
Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Miami Field Office, highlighted the IRS-CI’s commitment to enforcing tax laws, especially in cases of financial fraud and abuse of trust. Gomez noted that Austin’s attempt to book a one-way ticket overseas was thwarted by the complex financial investigation, which ultimately led to her imprisonment.
The case was investigated by IRS-CI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Juenger. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is managing the asset forfeiture aspect of the case, ensuring that restitution and forfeiture orders are handled effectively.
Sentence and Restitution
In addition to the federal prison sentence, Chief U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga ordered Austin to pay forfeiture and restitution. This aims to compensate the victim company for the substantial financial losses incurred due to the embezzlement scheme.
