Kristen Whisenant approached the podium with a poster in her hands. Steele . Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. TAYLORSVILLE, N.C. (WBTV) - Court records say an Alexander County woman embezzled more than $15 million from her employer to fund an extravagant lifestyle, including paying for family members weddings, buying expensive jewelry and booking luxury hotels. Donna O Steele: Filing Date: January 16, 2020: File Number: 1007553: Court records show that Steele embezzled over $15 million from Tigra USA and used the money to support a business run by her and her family and to fund an extravagant lifestyle. I was like, Gosh, that sounds really cool. It sounds cool, Carter said. The owners say the farmhouse on the property will eventually be a rental option as part of wedding packages. Carter wrote to the judge handling Steeles embezzlement case saying: Ms. Steele pleaded guilty to wire fraud embezzlement scheme, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Court records show that Steele embezzled over $15 million from Victim Company A and used the money to support a business run by her and her family and to fund an extravagant lifestyle. LOUIE: DEVELOPING NEWS IN EASTERN NORTH CALIRONA, FIREFIGHTERS ARE ON THE SCENE OF A MASSIVE FIRE AT A QVC DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN ROCKY MOUNT. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Were really kind of just starting to look into all the opportunities here, but thats kind of what we see, where we see it going into the future., The names, Ellendale Farms and Ellendale Events, were inspired by the location of the farm. Me and Stacy have been looking for a working farm for the past year and a half to two years to invest in together. An 18-year-old and a juvenile were arrested on Friday in connection to a threat made against Maiden High School. Goeweys mother-in-law Kerrie Carter, Goeweys wife Lindsey Goewey and Austins wife Janet Austin will be hosting events on the property through their company, Ellendale Events. Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team atWake Up Charlotte. Carter and Goewey said their desire to serve comes from decades spent in the hospitality industry. DEPUESTI IN HENRY COUNTY, VIRGINIA ARRESTED BELL A SHORT TIME LATER. THEYRE TRYING TO FIND THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FORIS H DEATH. Prosecutors also wrote that Steele created a wedge between employees and the German ownership. The glass doors, at the back of the main room, lead out onto a large white deck where receptions can be held. Being remorseful, in our opinion, would start with a check, TIGRA CEO Bernd Motzer, who came from Germany to speak to the court, said. Goewey said he began working for Chick-fil-A at age 15. Two people suffered serious injuries in a three-car crash at the intersection of Lenoir-Rhyne Blvd. West Jefferson, NC 28694 (336) 246-2179 sales@tigra-usa.com www.tigra-usa.com. LOUIE: BECAUSE OF TODAYS RAIN, THE CITY OF BURLINGTONAS H CANCELED THE HOLIDAY MAGIC FESTIVAL. During the same time period, Steele executed at least 117 fraudulent and unauthorized bank wires, totaling more than $2.2 million, from Victim Company As bank accounts to the defendants personal bank account, which she then used for her personal benefit, including to fund a personal real estate closing. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. Donna Steele (Douglas steele) See Photos. EVERY PHONE CALL ENDED WITH I LOVE YOU. The judge could also consider that in the 1990s, Steele was jailed for her role in another embezzlement case where she was accused of stealing half a million dollars from a family-owned business near Winston-Salem. STEELE'S HOME MARKET LLC: Sponsored Links. Donna Osowitt Steele, of Taylorsville, North Carolina, also used stolen money to fund personal businesses run by her family, according to a court filing Friday by U.S. Attorney Dena King's. TIGRA is looking for more than $16 million in restitution. Prosecutors said Steele used company credit cards, checks and wire transfers to steal company funds. Her supporters said she had taken responsibility for her actions. You can cancel at any time. Steele admitted that, in an effort to hide the fraudulent scheme, she limited communications and interactions between the employees and owners for Victim Company A and monitored communications that did occur, she convinced employees that company owners should be feared, and lied to employees about the true nature of Victim Company As financial trouble. By Michael Ashcraft . deforestation in azerbaijan . THATS ACCORDING TO OUR NEWS PARTNER, WRAL. Earlier this year, Channel 9s Dave Faherty. Steele is charged with one count of wire fraud. Donna's Relatives A former Hickory CEO is set to spend eight years in federal prison for embezzling more than $15 million from the company she once headed. A court filing on Friday also accuses Donna Osowitt Steele, of Taylorsville, North Carolina, of using stolen money to fund personal businesses run by her family. It will be a working farm. Donna Osowitt Steele, of Taylorsville, North Carolina, also used stolen money to fund personal businesses run by her family, according to a court filing Friday by U.S. Attorney Dena King's office. Phil Kornblut contributed to this story. See all events . A court filing on Friday, Dec. 17, also accuses Donna Osowitt Steele, of Taylorsville, North Carolina, of using stolen money to fund personal businesses run by her family. U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of North Carolina, The Defendant Admitted to Using the Embezzled Money to Finance Her Luxury Goods Business and to Fund Her Extravagant Lifestyle, Former Chief Executive Officer Pleads Guilty To Embezzling More Than $15 Million From Her Employer, Charlotte Business Owners Plead Guilty To Selling Fraudulently Obtained New iPhones Overseas, Former Insurance Executive Indicted For $2B Fraud Scheme, Huntersville, N.C. Man Is Sentenced For Wire Fraud. For example, filed court documents show that Steele used company credit cards to pay for $6 million in personal expenditures, including to make high-end retail store purchases, to pay for luxury hotel accommodations and event ticket purchases, to buy expensive jewelry, to pay for family weddings, and to make purchases related to Opulence by Steele, a luxury clothing and boutique company the defendant founded in 2013. Furthermore, Steele caused 127 fraudulent and unauthorized wire transfers to be executed as Quickbooks transactions, transferring more than $4.7 million from Victim Company As bank accounts to her personal bank account. Irmo Fire has some tips to avoid them. Donna Osowitt. Donna Osowitt Steele, 52, of Taylorsville, N.C. had worked for Tigra USA . In addition to the credit card purchases, Steele admitted to issuing about 98 checks totaling more than $2.8 million from Victim Company As bank accounts, which Steele deposited into her personal bank account. EMERSONS THAT NIGHT, GOING BACK THERE HAS BEEN EMOTIONAL. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. He shared these photos taken as Steele gave him and his fianc a tour. Donna Steele pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $15 million from a Hickory business over seven years. Sie knnen Ihre Einstellungen jederzeit ndern, indem Sie auf unseren Websites und Apps auf den Link Datenschutz-Dashboard klicken. Steele also transferred more than $350,000 in embezzled money to a high-end clothing and furniture business that she operated called Opulence by Steele, according to the court filing. Employees werent paid on time, had their insurance canceled without warning and saw their company cards declined when they made legitimate purchases, according to court records. A Taylorsville property, once home to The Nest wedding venue at Steeles Farms, has new owners. South Carolina quarterbacks for 2022. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. NOT FAR AWAY, THE BLACK TIGER MOTORCYCLE CLUB AND SKILZ, WHEELS AND TIRES, COLLECTED FOOD, FOR SAMARITAN MINISTRIES. HE NEVER M AET STRANGER AND THIS IS WHY HIS MURDER IS SO HURTFUL. 133 E Main Ave Taylorsville, NC 28681 Steele cannot leave the Western District of North Carolina without the courts permission. property revaluation nearing completion. Spencer Rattler, five stars, 0.9942 rating, class of 2019 5157. Prosecutors argued in a sentencing memo that Steele went to great lengths to disguise her illicit activity by opening accounts in the companys name without the owners knowledge and pushing through transactions after they had been flagged as potentially inappropriate. On the night before Christmas, he was kicked out of his house. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere. and Tate Blvd. Bills of information are commonly filed when a defendant is working out a plea arrangement with U.S. prosecutors. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Photos courtesy of LAZE L FARM PHOTOGRAPHY, Photo courtesy of LAZE L FARM PHOTOGRAPHY, Destroy a Bradford pear tree and get a free replacement, Concerned parent brings poster of explicit quotes to school board meeting, Two seriously injured in crash on Tate Boulevard; helicopter flies one victim to hospital, He's 24 and the new police chief in Town of Brookford; Armstrong: We have the opportunity to really change someone's life, KFC is bringing back a fan favorite after a nearly 10-year hiatus, Newton man faces attempted murder charge in connection with attack at Catawba Valley Medical Center, 'On Patrol: Live' -- Brookford Police to be featured on TV show, Hickory man sentenced to 50 years on child pornography charges, Catawba County Hornets blank Albion 36-0 to win national championship, Call about person passed out in church parking lot leads to multiple drug charges for Conover man, Letter: Store closing because of its 'woke' views, Catawba County Sheriff's Office seeks suspect in robbery of Newton convenience store, Update: Airlifted driver in stable condition following 3-vehicle crash on Tate Boulevard on Monday, Hickory home damaged by fire; firefighter taken to hospital, Global race is on to improve EV range in the cold, Moscow reportedly threatened new parents in Ukraine: Register your newborns as Russian or else, The impact of climate change will be felt worse in these three U.S. cities, Scientists reveal hidden corridor in Great Pyramid of Giza. Court records show that Steele embezzled over $15 million from Victim Company A and used the money to support a business run by her and her family and to fund an extravagant lifestyle. Copyright 2022 WBTV. donna steele taylorsville, nc. . Initially, Steele worked in the shipping department and was promoted over the next 20 years to various positions within the company, including to the position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO), which she held until she was terminated in January 2020. Because of Steeles actions, prosecutors said, vendors withheld products from the company due to late or non-payment, and customers complained about being placed on credit holds despite paying what they owed on time. Nearly $7,000 in embezzled funds paid for a trip to a Notre Dame-Virginia Tech football game, the court documents show. Online court records dont list an attorney for her who could comment. Courts: N.C. woman embezzled $15M to pay for weddings, jewelry, luxury hotel rooms; supporting extravagant lifestyle. The farm is roughly 72 acres and was purchased by Ellendale Farms LLC for $1.5 million in January. Dena J. CHARLOTTE The former CEO of a company in Hickory who is accused of stealing more than $15 million was sentenced to eight years in prison Thursday. Ellendale is a rural community in Alexander County and the community volunteer fire department sits beside the farm. The former CEO of a North Carolina manufacturer embezzled over $15 million to fund an extravagant lifestyle that included $500,000 in jewelry purchases and stays at pricey New York and Hawaii hotels, federal prosecutors alleged in court papers. Steele also is accused of transferring $350,000 in embezzled funds to Opulence by Steele in Taylorsville, which federal authorities described in court documents as a high-end clothing and furniture boutique. IT IS SAD. She pleaded guilty to wire fraud in January, acknowledging she stole more than $15 million from the company. Assets like this wedding venue in Alexander County, where Seth Couch planned on being married in May. STATESVILLE, N.C. A former CEO has been charged with embezzling more than $15 million from her employer and using stolen money to pay for a lavish lifestyle, including travel, jewelry and family weddings. Steele admitted that, in an effort to hide the fraudulent scheme, she limited communications and interactions between the employees and owners for Victim Company A and monitored communications that did occur, she convinced employees that company owners should be feared, and lied to employees about the true nature of Victim Company As financial trouble. WSOC TV facebook feed(Opens a new window), PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Former CEO pleads guilty to embezzling more than $15M to fund lavish lifestyle, RELATED: Former NC CEO accused of embezzling $15 million accepts plea deal, NCSHP arrest driver accused of nearly hitting 2 students at bus stop in Statesville, CMS delays opening of new school meant to ease overcrowding, Rescue crews search for man in Rocky River near Midland, Rock band Kiss reveals Charlotte connection to hit song, Man upset sheriff posted drug house sign in yard, WSOC - TV Public File Contact / Program Director, WAXN - TV Public File Contact / Program Director. She was ordered to pay $270,131.89 in restitution. 171 NC Highway 127, Taylorsville, NC, 28681, United States Mailing Address. A barn on the property has been turned into an event venue. A court filing on Friday, Dec. 17, also accuses Donna Osowitt Steele, of Taylorsville, North Carolina, of using stolen money to fund personal businesses run by her family. Check out the Thursday edition of the HICKORY DAILY RECORD for a complete report, Photo: Facebook THE FAMILY OF A WINSTON-SALEM MAN IS ASKING FOR THE PUBLICS HELP. Steele has shown no remorse to or sentiment to what she has done to brides and their families for their special and memorable day., A wedding planner also wrote to the judge about Steele, claiming: She tried to scam my bride out of about $2,000 worth of furniture the bride had wanted to rent from a third party (Julie Vega, Wedding Planner).. 7. THE EVENT WAS IN HONOR OF A MAN, KILLED IN A DRIVE-BY SHOOTGIN LAST YEAR. SUBSCRIBE:Apple Podcasts||Spotify||Stitcher||TuneIn||Google Podcasts. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. {{start_at_rate}} {{format_dollars}} {{start_price}} {{format_cents}} {{term}}, {{promotional_format_dollars}}{{promotional_price}}{{promotional_format_cents}} {{term}}, Mike Gminski, David Teel named co-winners of the ACC's Skeeter Francis Award, Nebraska cheerleader competes by herself at state competition, but crowd doesn't let her feel alone, Police identify victim who died Wednesday in Greensboro's 11th homicide of 2023, William Sturkey: Chapel Hill trustees 'hellbent' on winning campus culture wars, Rob Schofield: North Carolinas chronic public employee shortage wasnt an accident, KFC is bringing back a fan favorite after a nearly 10-year hiatus, Richard Groves: What the 'He Gets Us' media campaign says about the decline of Christianity, Mark Elliott and Jeremy Rinker: Budget reductions at UNCG punish it for serving disadvantaged students, Two Things: Victim's family not surprised by no show; hospital wars in Greensboro and money well spent, Samet on jail project: Guilford officials 'acted improperly' during bid process, Former Page High School teacher arrested on child sex charges, records show, Proposed rules for Airbnb, other short-term rentals advance in Greensboro, 'A bizarre case': Greensboro TikTok star found not guilty in fatal 2019 crash, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist proposes community hospital in Greensboro, Greensboro police officer involved in confrontation on Golden Gate Drive resigns, UPDATE: One person dies after shooting Thursday night in Greensboro, N.C. officers seize 6 kilos of cocaine, half-pound of pot and $3,600 in cash, Global race is on to improve EV range in the cold, Moscow reportedly threatened new parents in Ukraine: Register your newborns as Russian or else, The impact of climate change will be felt worse in these three U.S. cities, Scientists reveal hidden corridor in Great Pyramid of Giza. Steele used some of the money to fund a craving for luxury clothing and accessories, including spending more than $500,000 on jewelry alone and high-end purchases in New York City at stores that included Sephora and Ted Baker. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Online court records dont list an attorney for her or a date for an initial court appearance. He said after several phone calls, he was able to get his money back, but the new property owner, Kerrie Carter, told Channel 9 that Steele has not reimbursed all of the brides. 5 Stars (2) Reviews. . . If that doesn't work, you can try accessing the legacy WRAL site here or go back to WRAL.com here King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. . Steele spent more than $1 million on personal travel, according to court documents. JACK:IE THE FAMILY IS OFFERING $10,000 TO ANYONE WHO COULD PROVIDE INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST AND CONVICTION OF THE KILLER. donna steele hickory, ncplains, plateaus, and mountains worksheets. Even a billboard with the Steele name on it is now available after her wedding venue down the road was sold. THIS IS THE REASON WE ARE DOING THE FOOD GIVEAWAY. Steele is charged with one count of wire fraud. Questions Post Question FAIRVIEW RESIDENT FACES NUMEROUS . Robert R. Wells, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, joins U.S. Attorney King in making this announcement. According to the North Carolina Department of Public Safety website, Steele was incarcerated from Aug. 1, 1995 until June 28, 1996. Federal defendant Donna Steele arrives at the federal courthouse in Charlotte for sentencing on embezzlement charges in November. In a published report in the Wednesday edition of the HICKORY DAILY RECORD, Steele has a criminal past including previous convictions for embezzlement. >> THE FAMILY OF LACARNLY DINXO SENIOR, WANTS JUSTICE. The attorneys also claimed the corporate culture at TIGRA brought out the worst in Steele. Attorneys hired by Steele asked for a five-year prison sentence along with supervised release while prosecutors sought a prison sentence between 70 and 87 months a range of roughly six years to a little more than seven years. December 21, 2016. STILL NO SUSPECTS, MORE THAN TWO MONTHS AFTER THE 55-YEAR-OLDAS W SHOT AND KILLED IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE MILL 800 APARTMENTS IN WINSTON-SALEM. STEELE'S FARMS LLC in Taylorsville, NC | Company Info & Reviews Company Information Sponsored Links Contact Information Phone Number: (828) 302-0074 Company Contacts TIMOTHY S STEELE Owner Manager 171 Nc Hwy 127 Taylorsville, NC 28681 Reviews Write Review There are no reviews yet for this company. Goewey said the operation hopes to offer vacation rentals, starting with the cabin on the property. Well have a working farm. A lock ( Wednesday Bible Study, Adventure Kids, OBEY Youth, & Band Rehearsal - 6:00p (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). I think this type of lifestyle is a lost art. A court filing on Friday also accuses Donna Osowitt Steele, of Taylorsville, North Carolina, of . Furthermore, Steele caused 127 fraudulent and unauthorized wire transfers to be executed as Quickbooks transactions, transferring more than $4.7 million from Tigra USAs bank accounts to her personal bank account. Furthermore, Steele caused 127 fraudulent and unauthorized wire transfers to be executed as Quickbooks transactions, transferring more than $4.7 million from Victim Company As bank accounts to her personal bank account.