Winnebago County Woman Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud for Stealing Funds From a Booster Club

ROCKFORD - The former Treasurer of a booster club in Rockford, Ill. has pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge for embezzling more than $34,000 from the club.

SHONDRA MCLARTY, 55, admitted in a plea agreement that she embezzled and stole money from the Tumbling and Acro Boosters Club ("TAB") from 2023 to 2024 while she served as Treasurer. McLarty fraudulently used TAB's business debit card and fraudulently caused TAB to issue business checks, which she used for personal expenses and not for any legitimate business purpose. According to the plea agreement, McLarty admitted to concealing her misappropriation of funds by changing the mailing address of TAB's business bank accounts to her personal residence.

McLarty, of Rockton, Ill., pleaded guilty on Tuesday to wire fraud, which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence will be determined by U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston, guided by the Sentencing Guidelines. Sentencing is set for June 23, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.

The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Kim.