New Jersey Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding an Evansville Business

EVANSVILLE- Marsha L. Jester, 69, of Phillipsburg, New Jersey, has been sentenced to one and a half years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to wire fraud. Jester has also been ordered to pay $231,589 in restitution.

According to court documents, Jester stole nearly $500,000 over a seven-year period while employed with companies that entrusted her with managing daily operations. She exploited her positions of trust by creating fake vendors, fabricating invoices, and falsifying records to divert company funds for personal use.

From 2019 through 2022, Jester worked for a New Jersey-based business that places Site Managers at client locations to oversee day-to-day operations. Although employed by the service provider, Site Managers worked on-site at client businesses and were responsible for sourcing and ordering products, approving invoices for payment, and serving as liaisons between clients and vendors.

In September 2021, Jester was assigned as a Site Manager for a food service provider in Evansville, Indiana. Her role gave her broad autonomy to facilitate and report transactions between the client and its vendors.

Jester used this authority to orchestrate a fraud scheme involving a fictitious vendor she had created, "Global Solutions, Inc." She submitted false invoices claiming Global Solutions had delivered products to the client, when in fact no goods were provided. To conceal the fraud, she entered fake inventory into the system. Her employer paid the invoices and then billed the Evansville client for the same amount, plus an upcharge.

Jester submitted 13 fraudulent invoices, amounting to $87,356.31, while working as a Site Manager for the Evansville business. Once payments were made to Global Solutions, she accessed the funds through the company's Square account. She used the stolen money for personal expenses, including purchases at Target, QVC, Massage Envy, IV Therapy Solutions, and Nail Gallery, as well as a trip to Atlantic City, New Jersey.

The government presented evidence that Jester stole a total of $489,489.54 from five businesses while working as a Site Manager. Over the course of the scheme, Jester submitted a total of 119 fraudulent invoices through Global Solutions and another sham business, "Master Products Company."

"Marsha Jester abused her position of trust to orchestrate a calculated and prolonged fraud scheme," said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. "Her actions not only betrayed the companies that relied on her integrity, but also undermined the systems designed to protect them. This office remains committed to holding accountable those who exploit their access for personal gain."

"Fraud may seem invisible, but its effects are real and damaging. This case demonstrates the consequences of exploiting trust for personal gain," said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O'Malley. "The FBI remains committed to pursuing those who commit fraud to ensure they are held accountable."

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman.

U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who prosecuted this case.

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