Carmen Miranda, a/k/a “Millie Miranda,” Stole Money from Her Employer and Its Clients to Pay For, Among Other Things, Her Wedding, Travel, and to Make Payments to a Cosmetic Surgeon
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Daniel B. Brubaker, Inspector-in-Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), announced today that CARMEN MIRANDA, a/k/a “Millie Miranda,” was charged with wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, in connection with her scheme to embezzle over $4 million from her employer and its clients in Manhattan, New York. MIRANDA was arrested today and will be presented today before Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses in Manhattan federal court.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, Carmen Miranda allegedly pilfered funds from her employer and clients for her own benefit. She used the stolen funds to live a lifestyle she could not afford, purchasing expensive trips, luxury items, and throwing lavish parties. Her dishonesty led to serious disruptions in her employer’s and its clients’ businesses. Miranda’s arrest and prosecution should send a message to anyone engaging in fraudulent conduct that they will be found and prosecuted.”
Inspector-in-Charge Daniel B. Brubaker said: “Carmen Miranda was placed in a position of trust to help people manage their finances. She allegedly abused that trust by misappropriating approximately $4 million dollars and in stealing their money, sought only to enrich herself through personal gain. Miranda used the alleged stolen funds to pay for a lavish lifestyle full of vacations, parties, cosmetic procedures, high-end luxury goods, and even her own wedding. Her greed was her downfall, and in the end, the Postal Inspectors were there to put a stop to her ill-gotten spending spree.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint unsealed today:[1]
CARMEN MIRANDA, a/k/a “Millie Miranda,” the defendant, was an account manager at a small business management firm that primarily serviced clients in the entertainment industry (the “Company”). From at least in or about December 2014, up to and including at least January 2022, while serving as an account manager for the Company, MIRANDA embezzled funds from the Company and some of the Company’s clients (the “Clients” or individually “Client”). She added herself as an authorized user on two credit cards belonging to a Client, used two other credit cards issued to a Client’s employees, and wrote checks and sent electronic funds transfers out of the Clients’ accounts. MIRANDA used the credit cards, the checks, and electronic funds transfers to make payments to a cosmetic surgeon, her children, and others, and to pay for expenses such as tuition, travel, her wedding, an anniversary party, and luxury items from Jimmy Choo. To conceal the Client funds that she had stolen and spent, MIRANDA transferred funds between accounts belonging to different Clients.
As a part of this scheme, MIRANDA misappropriated approximately $4 million.
MIRANDA, 50, of Massapequa, New York, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison, and one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of thirty years in prison, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory penalty of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any other term of imprisonment.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the USPIS in this investigation.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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