From Staff Reports
TYLER — A 33-year-old Shreveport woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to embezzling more than $500,000 from a Tyler nonprofit organization, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas Stephen J. Cox announced.
Jessica Rottab pleaded guilty to a one-count criminal information charging her with federal program theft before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love.
According to information presented in court, from about June 24, 2017, through September 2018, Rottab, who was living in Flint at the time, worked as the interim executive director of the East Texas Center for Independent Living in Tyler. ETCIL is a nonprofit corporation with a mission of helping people with disabilities achieve greater independence, self-sufficiency and full participation in their communities.
ETCIL receives benefits in excess of $10,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services every year. From Sept. 9, 2017, through July 23, 2018, ETCIL maintained an operating checking account at Southside Bank in Tyler. During that time, Rottab made 369 unauthorized cash withdrawals for herself, totaling $118,224.24.
From June 24, 2017, and continuing until Sept. 11, 2018, by various other means, such as using ETCIL’s corporate credit card for unauthorized expenses for her personal benefit, Rottab took a total of $526,690.83 from ETCIL.
Rottab faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. She has agreed to pay full restitution to ETCIL and its clients.
