FORMER DIRECTOR OF FINANCE CONVICTED
OF FRAUD
United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that Robert Sterling
Miller, also known as, Beau Miller, the former Director of Finance for the
Texas Land Title Association (TLTA), was sentenced to 70 months in federal
prison after being found guilty of fraud by a federal jury on April 25, 2006.
At today’s sentencing U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks upwardly departed
from the federal sentencing guidelines in pronouncing Miller’s sentence.
In addition to the prison sentence, Miller was ordered to pay approximately
$250,000 in restitution to those he defrauded and serve five years of supervised
release upon completion of his prison term.
Miller served as the Director of Finance at TLTA from February of 2001 to September
of 2004. In
that capacity, Miller was responsible for all financial, accounting and payroll
functions of TLTA.
Beginning in March of 2002, Miller fraudulently increased his bi-monthly salary
by $1,000 a pay period. Miller unlawfully acquired $54,333.37 over the course
of his employment related to the increase in salary. Miller also fraudulently
caused himself to receive eleven unauthorized bonuses totaling $60,269.15.
Miller’s unlawful receipt of bonuses and salary formed the basis of the
wire fraud counts.
Shortly before the discover of Miller fraud scheme in early September 2004,
Miller directed a $44,000 check drawn on a TLTA bank account at Guaranty Bank
to an accounting firm operated by Miller, One-Two-Three Accounting, Inc. Miller’s
unlawful receipt of the proceeds of this check formed the basis of the bank
fraud count.
Prior to obtaining employment at TLTA, Miller pled no contest in November 1996
to a charge of Aggravated Theft in the District Court of Comal County, Texas,
in connection with the theft of funds from Midway Mobile Homes in New Braunfels,
Texas. Miller was subsequently sentenced to four years deferred adjudication.
At the time, Miller was hired by TLTA in February 2001, Miller deceived TLTA
as to his education and work history. In addition, Miller represented to TLTA
that he had never pled no contest to a felony.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Special Agent Matthew J.
Gravelle of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney
Mark Lane prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.
|
