South Carolina resident sentenced in $1.4 million embezzlement and identity theft scheme

SOUTH CAROLINA — A South Carolina woman has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for her role in a decade-long embezzlement and identity theft scheme that defrauded a Maryland business and its owner out of approximately $1.4 million.

On Wednesday, April 30, 2025, U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced 61-year-old Valerie Joseph of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, to 53 months in prison followed by 12 months of home detention.

Joseph was convicted of wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. She was also ordered to pay $1.4 million in restitution.

According to court documents, from at least January 2011 through August 2021, Valerie Joseph and her husband, Robin Joseph, used her position as a bookkeeper for a wholesale greenhouse and garden center in Caroline County, Maryland, to make unauthorized charges on credit card accounts belonging to the business and its owner.

The couple used fraudulently obtained funds to pay for vacations, cruises, home renovations, pet expenses, utility bills, and luxury items.

Unauthorized charges included over $200,000 at Walmart, more than $116,000 through PayPal, $195,000 at Lowe’s, and thousands more at restaurants, colleges, and retail stores.

They also spent over $33,000 on veterinary expenses and pet-related items, including high-end bird cages.

Robin Joseph pleaded guilty to related charges on April 25, 2025, and faces up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud conspiracy and a mandatory two years for aggravated identity theft.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Riley. U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes encouraged anyone with information about fraud to visit www.justice.gov/usao-md.