ST. GEORGE, Utah, Nov. 3, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — The treasurer of a Hurricane homeowners association has pleaded guilty to charges in a near quarter-million dollar embezzlement.
Sharon Lee Ann Gordon, 66, of Hurricane, entered her guilty pleas Thursday to charges of wire fraud and making a false statement on a tax return, according to a press release from Utah’s federal prosecutors.
Gordon has paid back the Lava Bluff Homeowners Association (HOA) $168,629.68 to date in restitution, according to the release.
“According to court documents, she embezzled approximately over $232,000 from four Lava Bluff HOA bank accounts between 2016 and March 2022.”
In execution of the scheme, the U.S. Attorneys Office for Utah listed her actions:
— Diverted funds electronically by transferring them directly to her personal account.
— Wrote checks to herself and her boyfriend forging other board members’ signatures.
— Deposited checks representing HOA member fees directly into her personal accounts.
— Wrote checks to casinos from HOA accounts.
— Withdrew cash from HOA accounts.
“In tax years 2017 through 2021, Gordon failed to report income derived from her scheme to defraud Lava Bluff HOA.
“As a result, Gordon was ordered by the court to pay $20,490 in restitution to the IRS for tax loss from unreported income between 2017 and 2021.”
Gordon was also ordered to pay the remaining $63,448.32 from the $232,078 in restitution to Lava Bluff HOA.
She is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date at the St. George Courthouse before a U.S. District Court judge. The case is being investigated jointly by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) division and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, St. George Resident Agency.
Lava Bluff is a mobile home park with more than 2,000 lots, an age-restricted community for those 55 years old or older.
