Woman pleads guilty in case involving embezzlements from two employers

Susan Elise Prophet, also known as Susan Morriss, pleaded guilty Wednesday to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with embezzlements from two employers.

The 45-year-old woman from Bucyrus, Kan., who actually was barred by a previous felony conviction from holding bookkeeping jobs, concealed her criminal history in Tennessee when she moved to Kansas.

She then got jobs at Dorfman Plumbing Supply Co. in Kansas City, from which she embezzled more than $543,034, and at North Point Skilled Nursing in Paola, Kan., from which she embezzled more than $188,000.

The U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri said Prophet admitted to forging her employer’s signature on 104 checks, 99 of which were written to herself, while she worked at Dorfman between December 2012 and August 2013.

She was fired in August 2013 when owner Charles Dorfman discovered her forgery on an electronic funds transfer. A few months later she was again hired as a bookkeeper by the Paola nursing home, where she continued to write checks to herself.

The U.S. attorney’s office said investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Kansas City police detectives found that Prophet spent at least $130,424 on vehicle purchases, including trucks, a car and a motorcycle; wrote checks for cash to herself; and spent embezzled funds on travel, furniture, electronics, a gym membership, tattoos and other items. Documents also showed she spent embezzled funds to pay past debts, pay rent and dine in restaurants.

Prophet could face up to 30 years in federal prison without parole for bank fraud plus two years for aggravated identity theft. She was ordered to pay $732,495 in restitution to her former employers.

She also was ordered to forfeit to the government a 2013 Dodge Ram 1500 Sport, a 2013 Harley-Davidson FLTRX Road Glide, a 2008 Ford Focus, a 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe, a 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer and a money judgment of $543,034 — all proceeds obtained through her fraud schemes.

Her sentencing hearing will be held after a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

This story was originally published August 13, 2014 at 1:27 PM with the headline "Woman pleads guilty in case involving embezzlements from two employers."