A former Capitol Hill employee who worked for Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) has pled guilty to defrauding the federal government out of about $80,000.
Sterling Carter, 24, pled guilty today to theft of public funds in connection with his plot to unlawfully inflate his income and incentive payments, therefore paying himself more than he was legally entitled, according to a news statement from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
A former Capitol Hill employee who worked for Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.) has pled guilty to defrauding the federal government out of about $80,000.
Sterling Carter, 24, pled guilty today to theft of public funds in connection with his plot to unlawfully inflate his income and incentive payments, therefore paying himself more than he was legally entitled, according to a news statement from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
After an FBI inquiry, the larceny was found. Frank G. D’Amico, the FBI agent in charge of the investigation, elaborated on the scenario in Carter’s criminal charging documents (pdf).
Schneider’s Chief of Staff was in charge of determining workers’ pay, whether they should earn a bonus, and the monetary amount of any bonus to be given out, in collaboration with Schneider.
Carter, as Director of Operations, had to fill out and file a Payroll Authorization Form in order to get a raise (PAF). The PAF would show the employee’s new yearly pay as well as the effective date of the salary modification.
According to court filings, Carter forged Schneider’s signature on multiple documents that would have granted Carter bonus compensation.
Carter will now face a sentence hearing on July 28 as a result of his guilty plea. He may spend up to ten years in jail for the felony offense.
Carter will be held in the High Intensity Supervision Program (HISP) until he is sentenced, where he will be closely monitored to ensure that he does not attempt to leave.
By the time of publication, Carter’s lawyer, Robert Jenkins, could not be reached for comment.
