Updated August 2, 2012 at 4:45 PM CST: The sentencing process for Peggy Newton of Joplin began on Monday and finished this afternoon.
Newton was a partner in the Joplin interior design business Evergreen & Amber and had admitted to scheming her former business partner out of thousands of dollars.
This afternoon Newton was sentenced to the following:
- two years in jail
- must pay $150,000 in restitution
- three years of supervised probation.
Updated July 30, 2012 at 5:05 PM CST: A sentencing hearing is underway in a fraud case involving a Joplin business woman.
Peggy Newton plead guilty to wire fraud and admitted to making unauthorized purchases using her business partner's personal and business credit cards and the bank account of their business Evergreen and Amber, an interior decorating shop.
The business closed and the two women filed for bankruptcy last year.
Court officials say the hearing was still underway late this afternoon.
CORRECTION: It was initially reported that Newton pled guilty to 25 counts of fraud. In fact, she was originally charged on 25 counts of fraud, but plead guilty to wire fraud.
Updated October 17, 2011 at 5:10 PM CST: A Joplin woman makes a plea deal in an embezzlement case.
Peggy Newton has plead guilty to wire fraud.
She admitted to making unauthorized purchases using her business partner's personal and business credit cards and the bank account of their business Evergreen and Amber, an interior decorating shop.
The charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
Updated April 13, 2011 at 5:47 PM CST: The hearing will wait for a Joplin woman charged with embezzling from her business partner.
Peggy Newton, 38, faces a federal indictment accusing her of stealing from Evergreen and Amber, an interior decorating shop, from 2006 to 2009.
It alleges she used bank and credit accounts of the business and her business partner for personal use.
Newton's hearing was scheduled for today but she asked for a continuance to work out a plea agreement.
The case is now set for late May.
Updated February 14, 2011 at 5:05 PM CST: Peggy Newton, 38, plead not guilty in federal court today in Springfield.
The indictment says that from 2006 to 2009 she embezzled from Evergreen and Amber, an interior decorating business and retail shop.
It alleges that on hundreds of occasions Newton used the bank and credit accounts of the business and her business partner for personal use.
The court did not ask for her to be held before trial so she was released on bond.
Posted February 11, 2011 at 4:08 PM CST: A Joplin woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for embezzling from her former business partner.
Peggy Newton, 38, was a partner in Evergreen & Amber, an interior decorating business and retail shop.
The indictment says Newton wrote checks on the business bank account for her personal use, used her partner's personal credit accounts for personal use, and forged her business partner's signature to credit authorizations without her knowledge or consent.
Complete news release issued by the U.S. Attorney Western District of Missouri
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Joplin, Mo., woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for embezzling from her former business partner.
Peggy S. Newton, 38, of Joplin, was charged in a 25-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Thursday, Feb. 10.
Newton was a partner in Evergreen & Amber, L.L.C., an interior decorating business and retail shop. She handled all of the financial aspects of Evergreen & Amber, while her business partner, identified in the indictment as "D.P.," contributed all of the financial capital of the business and handled the daily design aspects of the business.
The federal indictment alleges that Newton engaged in a fraud scheme from Sept. 18, 2006, to June 29, 2009. Newton allegedly wrote approximately 393 checks, which were drawn on the business bank account, to make purchases and obtain money for her personal use and to pay for items and services for her personal benefit.
On approximately 500 occasions, the indictment says, Newton used her partner's personal credit accounts and the credit accounts of Evergreen & Amber to make purchases and obtain money for personal use, and to pay for services for her personal benefit. Newton signed D.P.'s name to the credit authorizations without D.P.'s knowledge or consent on 14 of those occasions, the indictment alleges, and used D.P.'s name, date of birth, and Social Security number to open new credit accounts without D.P.'s knowledge or consent on approximately five occasions.
Newton is charged with 21 counts of wire fraud related to more than $10,000 in credit card transactions for such items as shoes and other clothing, home appliances, veterinary services, dental services, spa services and photographs.
Newton is charged with four counts of counterfeit securities related to four checks, totaling $7,950, on which Newton allegedly forged D.P.'s signature.
Phillips cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robyn L. McKee. It was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Joplin, Mo., Police Department.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and KOAM. All Rights Reserved. For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
