A staffer in former President Joe Biden's State Departments pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $650,000 over two years and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison.
Levita Almuete Ferrer, 64, also known as Levita Brezovic, was charged with writing 60 checks to herself and three to someone she had a personal relationship with, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office in Washington, D.C.
Ferrer printed, signed deposited 63 checks totaling $657,347.50 into her personal bank accounts before trying to cover her tracks by changing the "listed payee in Quickbooks from herself to an actual State Department vendor," according to prosecutors.
U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Benjamin Brockschmidt of the State Department's Office of Inspector General, and Deputy Assistant Director William Ferrari of the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service Office of Special Investigations were involved in getting the plea deal and its announcement this past week in the fraud bust of the State Department budget official.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman prosecuted the charge along with paralegal specialist Sona Chaturvedi. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Orville of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina was credited with the essential investigatory work.
Ferrer will pay the stolen amount in restitution to the U.S. government and faces up to 10 years in prison at her Sept. 18 sentencing before U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper, who accepted a plea deal.