Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin announced that Kimberly Moore (age 49), of Foster, RI, pleaded nolo contendere today to embezzling more than $125,000 from the Junior League of Rhode Island (JLRI). Under the terms of the plea, Moore was sentenced by Superior Court Justice Susan E. McGuirl to a total of 18 years with three years to serve in home confinement and the remainder suspended with probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $76,159 to the JLRI and $50,000 restitution to two insurance companies.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove that Moore, Treasurer of the JLRI, embezzled approximately $126,159 from JLRI accounts.
The State would have shown that starting in September 2012 Moore began siphoning money from the business checking account of the JLRI. She covered her theft by transferring money into the checking account from two investment accounts owned by the JLRI. She eventually set up a phony bank account in the name of the JLRI and began depositing all monies collected on behalf of the JLRI from fundraisers or charitable auctions into the phony account.
While Moore was embezzling funds using the phony account, she paid all appropriate bills from the phony account in attempt to hide the theft.
In December 2014, the JLRI noticed money missing from the accounts and reported it to the Rhode Island State Police which conducted a forensic audit that uncovered Moore's criminal actions.
"The Junior League of Rhode Island has long enjoyed a tremendous reputation as an organization that is dedicated to promoting volunteerism and making a difference in our community. The actions of Kimberly Moore are in direct opposition to the mission and goals of the organization. She was entrusted with ensuring the Junior League had the funds to better our community, and yet she cared little about the good work those funds would do to help people less fortunate. Instead, she was only concerned with lining her pockets," said Attorney General Kilmartin.
The Rhode Island State Police Detective led the investigation and Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the White Collar Crime Unit Paul Carnes prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.