It’s not a crime to dream big, unless you’re using someone else’s money to fund your dreams! Luxurious weddings may be the norm for jet setters and large celebrity events, but even ordinary people long to throw a big bash that can impress their friends and provide memories for a lifetime. That temptation to splurge can be over-powering for some people, who look for ways to have their big dream even if they can’t afford it. If the event comes with a huge price tag, what can a struggling worker do these days? If you’re Joanne Kent, you don’t give up those big dreams. You just have your employer pay for them! While she got her big dream, it also came with a big price tag and certainly will provide the life-long memories she craved, even if they turn out to be a lifetime of misery now. Her actions have since cost her two years of her life in prison as the details of her scam came to light.
The Scam of a Lifetime
Two months before Joanne Kent left her former employer, Wilson UK Ltd, Joanne decided to embezzle almost a million dollars (£470,000) to fund her big dreams. The dream included an over-the-top wedding to her fiancé, David, at a cliff-top hotel, complete with champagne and fireworks. The guests were treated to their rooms (with the entire hotel reserved for the event), and also given Armani bracelets as favors.
Ms. Kent wasn’t just concerned with the welfare of her guests; however, as she had also used many of the funds to engage in a lifestyle that included two sports cars, a Mazda and an Audi A4. After the honeymoon, she planned to retire to the homes whose mortgages were financed with the stolen funds. She would have gotten away with it, too, if she hadn’t made a small, but deadly mistake.
How She Was Caught
The scam consisted of pushing payments to her bank account, using the names of established clients from the firms. She would change the details of the bank account numbers only, thus disguising payments to verified clients and escaping notice from her employer. The scheme unraveled when she made a large payment to a United States firm, using the sterling currency instead of dollars, which set off alarms within the company. The account under the United States firm was actually her own account.
The Sentence
The mother of two was sentenced to two years in prison, a lenient sentence due to her status as a mother of an eight-week old baby with hip problems. The sentence may be carried out in a mother and child unit. Further hearings will deal with how or when the money can be repaid to her former employer. Despite the supposed altruism of providing a lavish wedding for her guests, Joanne will still be responsible for repayment of the entire amount. Her new husband will have to deal with caring for her other child while she does her time.