GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — A woman who used to lead a nonprofit supporting cancer patients in Gaston County is now accused of embezzling more than $136,000 from it, in addition to withholding wages from the federal government.
Court filings reviewed by WCNC Charlotte reveal that in addition to the reported embezzlement, Stephanie Roberts allegedly withheld more than $200,000 of employment taxes owed to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This all reportedly happened over six years, from 2016 until 2022.
Roberts, who was the nonprofit's executive director, reportedly gave herself unauthorized payments from the nonprofit's bank account during this timespan, even when her own salary was no more than $80,000 annually. She allegedly disguised the money as additional payments.
As for the employment taxes, federal prosecutors said she withheld federal income, Medicare, and social security taxes from employee paychecks. Those funds were to be held in a trust fund before being paid to the IRS, but she reportedly failed to do so.
She also reportedly made false statements on her own taxes and claimed more than $62,000 in payments to the IRS that she caused not to have been paid.
Roberts is charged with theft in connection with health care, failure to truthfully account for and pay over trust fund taxes, and making and subscribing a false tax return. She's scheduled to appear in federal court on Friday, March 22.