People who keep a low profile are those who intentionally avoid attracting a lot of attention to themselves. For example, movie stars may keep a low profile while on vacation to avoid being followed by photographers. Others who may keep a low profile include people who dislike publicity or being in the spotlight, or people who have recently been in trouble. And fraudsters keep a low profile to keep committing fraud. As a program assistant Lonna Carroll kept a low profile through much of the thirteen years working for the South Dakota Department of Social Services. Just about the same amount of time that she allegedly started an embezzlement scheme that pilfered nearly $2 million from the federally funded foster care program.
Carroll is accused of stealing $1.78 million from the South Dakota Department of Social Services, specifically the Child Protective Services branch. Acting as one concerned for the well-being of foster kids, Carrol would request a payment for a childs welfare from the state but intercept it before it was forwarded to the child’s care. Playing a low profile, no one was aware that she was acting as her own supervisor who approved her own requests.
After a request went through further approvals in the Department of Social Services and the state Auditor’s Office, Carroll would intercept any checks issued on the child’s behalf and deposit them into her ow personal accounts. Unfortunately, it appears that the payback of $1.78 million in state and federal money is unlikely. It doesn’t look like Carroll put her fraudulently gained monies into a savings account. Fraudsters never do.
Today’s Fraud of The Day is based on article “Former employee accused of stealing $1.8 million from South Dakota Child Protection Services” published by the Nebraska Examiner on July 19, 2024.
An Iowa woman who formerly worked for the South Dakota Department of Social Services is accused of stealing an estimated $1.8 million from the department’s Division of Child Protection Services over the course of 13 years. Lonna Carroll, 68, of Algona, Iowa, is charged with two felony counts of aggravated grand theft. She was arrested Wednesday in Iowa and is awaiting extradition to South Dakota. Her bond has been set at $50,000.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced the charges on Thursday at a press conference in Sioux Falls. He said the investigation began in February of this year “when the Department of Social Services Child Protection saw an irregularity in some of the financial transactions.”
