ST. GEORGE, Utah, April 8, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — A 66-year-old Hurricane woman was sentenced to one year and one day of home detention Monday after pleading guilty to embezzling more than $230,000 during her time as an HOA treasurer.
Sharon Lee Ann Gordon also was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Shelby to three years of probation and ordered to pay the remaining $63,448.32 in restitution to the HOA and $20,490 to the IRS for tax loss for unreported income.
According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Gordon embezzled more than $232,000 from bank accounts belonging to the Lava Bluff mobile home park HOA between 2016 and 2022.
Prosecutors say Gordon diverted the funds electronically by transferring them directly to her personal account, writing checks to herself and her boyfriend, and forging HOA board members’ signatures.
She also deposited checks representing HOA member fees directly into her personal accounts, wrote checks to casinos from HOA accounts and withdrew cash from HOA accounts, according to court documents.
Additionally, Gordon falsely reported her total income to the IRS from 2017 through 2021, court documents say.
“Gordon abused her HOA position of power to steal thousands of dollars for her own personal benefit,” said Trina A. Higgins, U.S. attorney for Utah. “Gordon’s greed further emboldened her to hide money from the IRS. By teaming up with our federal partners we will continue to investigate and prosecute these cases.”
The case was investigated jointly by IRS Criminal Investigation, the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and St. George Resident Agency.
“Money that was designated for the community’s management went to line Gordon’s own pockets,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Shohini Sinha. “This case should serve as an example that fraud never pays. The FBI and our partners are committed to identifying and investigating those who abuse their trusted positions.”
