Spokane, Washington – Today, Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced Carol Casilla, age 26, of Spokane, Washington, pleaded guilty to Wire Fraud in connection with Casilla’s theft of more than $715,000 from a Spokane medical practice at which she was employed between 2020 and 2023. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice accepted Casilla’s guilty plea, and set sentencing for February 22, 2024, in Spokane.
According to court documents, between May 2020 and March 2023, Casilla was employed as an accountant by Spokane Dermatology Clinic (SDC), a dermatological practice located in Spokane. While employed at SDC, Casilla used her position to fraudulently issue company checks to herself and deposit them into her own personal accounts, and to make electronic funds transfers using company funds toward her personal credit cards. According to court documents, some of the transfers were made to a fictitious company that Casilla created in order to make it appear as though the transfers were for legitimate company expenditures. Casilla made hundreds of fraudulent transfers in this manner, stealing more than $715,000 in total.
“Ms. Casilla abused the trust of her employer to line her own pockets,” said United States Attorney Waldref. “We will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners to vigorously prosecute those who commit financial fraud, and to strengthen our communities by protecting our local businesses.”
“Ms. Casilla was a trusted employee and used her access to steal over $700,000 from her employer.” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “Additionally, she committed and hid her fraud for over three years. This guilty plea is the first step to restoring the victims and reinforcing accountability for those who violate trust.”
The charges to which Casilla pled carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Spokane Resident Agency. Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Tyler H.L. Tornabene are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
United States v. Casilla, Case No: 2-23-CR-00085-TOR