Barbara Furlow-Smiles, a former DEI executive at Facebook and Nike, was sentenced to five years and three months in federal prison for wire fraud and embezzlement. The court recommended her for participation in the RDAP program for substance abuse rehabilitation, which could reduce her sentence by up to one year. Furlow-Smiles was found guilty of diverting charitable donations into personal accounts and using the money to finance a lavish lifestyle, including paying thousands in pre-school tuition fees. She manipulated financial records and created fake invoices to cover her tracks, leading to an internal audit and investigation by federal authorities.
Furlow-Smiles pleaded guilty to stealing over $5 million from Facebook and Nike. U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan criticized her for betraying her position of trust and using fraudulent vendors, fake invoices, and cash kickbacks to steal from the companies. She is set to immediately begin serving her sentence and has been ordered to pay restitution to both companies and undergo three years of supervised release. It is unclear whether her legal team plans to appeal the sentence.
The RDAP program, which Furlow-Smiles may participate in, is the Bureau of Prisons’ most intensive treatment program for substance abuse rehabilitation. It is voluntary and takes 500 hours, nine to twelve months to complete, and can reduce the sentences of non-violent offenders who successfully complete it. The court recommended Furlow-Smiles for evaluation for participation in the program, which could lead to a reduction in her sentence by up to one year. She was also sentenced to 63 months imprisonment, restitution of over $5 million, a special assessment fee, and three years of supervised release.
During the trial, it was revealed that Furlow-Smiles used fraudulent schemes to embezzle millions from Facebook and Nike, leading to her guilty plea and subsequent sentencing. She was found to have diverted funds intended for charitable donations into personal accounts and to have used the money for personal expenses. Her actions were discovered after an internal audit raised suspicions, leading to a thorough investigation by federal authorities. The court emphasized the seriousness of her crimes and the breach of trust as a DEI executive at Facebook, resulting in the significant restitution amount and prison sentence.
