Press Release
☷Hartford Woman Charged with Executing Wire Fraud Scheme and Money Laundering
Federal Bureau of Investigation ( By Press Release office)
May 05,2022
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HARTFORD WOMAN CHARGED WITH EXECUTING WIRE FRAUD SCHEME AND MONEY LAUNDERING Richard G . Frohling , United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin , announced that on May 3 , 2022 , a Hartford woman was charged with a multi - million - dollar wire fraud and money laundering scheme . Vicki Berka ( age: 61 ) was charged with two counts of wire fraud , in violation of 18 U . S . C . § 1343 , and two counts of money laundering , in violation of 18 U . S . C . § 1957 . According to the indictment , beginning in approximately July 2014 , and continuing through at least September 26 , 2017 , Berka devised a scheme to defraud a Milwaukee business for which she served as Chief Financial Officer . According to the indictment , Berka used her position and bank account login credentials to embezzle approximately $2 . 7 million from Bader Rutter & Associates ( “Bader” ) for over three years . The indictment alleges that Berka used her authority to initiate numerous ACH transfers from Bader’s corporate accounts into a bank account she controlled and then made false entries in Bader’s general ledger to disguise her embezzlement . The indictment also alleges that after the proceeds of her fraudulent scheme went into her bank account , Berka engaged in unlawful monetary transactions by transferring and spending these proceeds . If convicted of wire fraud , Berka would face a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison for each count . If convicted of unlawful monetary transactions , Berka would face a maximum sentence of ten years in prison for each count . The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case , and it is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter Smyczek . An indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt . The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt . # # #For further information contact:Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales ( 414 ) 297 - 1700Follow us on Twitter
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