Posted on 12/14/2023 8:31:55 AM PST by Red Badger
Ms Furlow-Smiles hired suppliers operated by her friends who charged fraudulently inflated prices to Facebook and paid her cash kickbacks - Robin L Marshall A former Facebook diversity and inclusion tsar has pleaded guilty to stealing more than $4m (£3.1m) from the tech giant to fund her lavish lifestyle.
Barbara Furlow-Smiles, a global diversity executive at Facebook between 2017 and 2021, syphoned off cash through an “elaborate scheme” involving fake suppliers and cash kickbacks, US prosecutors said.
The Atlanta resident was “motivated by greed”, US Attorney Ryan Buchanan said, “ignoring the insidious consequences of undermining the importance of her DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] mission”.
Ms Furlow-Smiles, 38, was employed as “lead strategist, global head of employee resource groups and diversity engagement” at Facebook, which has since rebranded as Meta.
Using her access to a company credit card and authority to approve invoices, Ms Furlow-Smiles paid friends and family for phoney goods and services, submitting fraudulent expense reports for “swag” or marketing events.
Most of those involved, including nannies, babysitters, a hair stylist and former interns, did not know the origin of the payments.
They would later return most of the money in cash to her, sending it by mail or in some cases wrapped in T-shirts.
Ms Furlow-Smiles also hired suppliers operated by her friends who charged fraudulently inflated prices and paid her cash kickbacks.
She also used company cash to directly fund her lifestyle, spending $10,000 on an artist for bespoke portraits and $18,000 on pre-school tutors.
Keri Farley, special agent in charge of FBI Atlanta, said: “Furlow-Smiles used lies and deceit to defraud both vendors and Facebook employees. The FBI works hard to make sure greed like this doesn’t pay off and those who commit fraud are held accountable.”
(Excerpt) Read more at finance.yahoo.com ...
next stop Harvard
It being Facebook, too bad she didn’t steal $400 million
I’m sorry, but we are going to have to start hanging thieves.
There are just too many of them and they are driving up the prices on everything.
Seems like her “inclusion” efforts mostly involved cash being included into her bank account.
“Unexpected” considering her pedigree
/ s
“Diversity chief”, eh? So in spite of being paid a good salary for essentially a make-work job she still steals things. The entitlement is through the roof on this one.
Im shocked...just shocked. NOT!
That practically sums it up.
It’s sad, but necessary.
HNIC has its perks. Every time. Nails, hair, clothes, relatives, boyfriends, Bermuda every month, bling, Dining, cars, hotels,........
Had she worked ss an official government employee she would never be outed. Even a Christmas party in Boston.
Facebook fell for the diversity and inclusion scam big time
Facebook should be pleased with the savings...
She diversified a bit more than they anticipated................
Her salary at Facebook was between $700,000 and $950,000 per year. Let that sink in.
In Muslim countries they chop off a hand..................
And she still embezzled more.
It’s as though she was brought up to steal.....................
Just tell the feds you smoked Crack with Hunter Biden with the proceeds. Problem solved.
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