{"id":2124569,"date":"2023-12-13T21:33:02","date_gmt":"2023-12-14T02:33:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ex-facebook-dei-exec-charged-with-stealing-4m-from-social-media-giant-with-elaborate-plot\/"},"modified":"2023-12-13T21:38:22","modified_gmt":"2023-12-14T02:38:22","slug":"ex-facebook-dei-exec-charged-with-stealing-4m-from-social-media-giant-with-elaborate-plot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/ex-facebook-dei-exec-charged-with-stealing-4m-from-social-media-giant-with-elaborate-plot\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Facebook DEI executive charged with stealing $4M in elaborate scheme"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fex-facebook-dei-exec-charged-with-stealing-4m-from-social-media-giant-with-elaborate-plot%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2124569&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Former Facebook Executive Pleads Guilty to\u2062 $4M Fraud Scheme<\/h2>\n<p>Barbara Furlow-Smiles, a former <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-facebook-employee-pleads-guilty-to-stealing-4m-from-the-company\/\" title=\"Ex-Facebook worker admits to stealing M\">global diversity executive<\/a> for\u2063 Facebook, has \u2063admitted \u200bto defrauding the company of $4\u2063 million to fund\u2064 her luxurious lifestyle in California and Georgia. The \u200bDepartment \u200bof \u2062Justice has\u2062 described \u200cher actions\u2062 as an abuse of trust and \u2063a betrayal of her DEI mission.<\/p>\n<p>As the Lead\u200d Strategist \u200dfor Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Facebook, Furlow-Smiles had \u2062the authority to approve purchases and had a company credit card. She exploited this position by linking her credit cards to\u200d PayPal, Venmo, and Cash \u200bApp accounts, through which she\u200b paid friends,\u200d relatives, and associates \u200cfor goods and services \u200dthat were \u2062never provided to Facebook.<\/p>\n<p>Furlow-Smiles went to \u200bgreat \u2064lengths to cover her tracks, creating a paper trail that falsely indicated work had been done \u2063for Facebook.\u2063 She also involved others in her scheme, including friends, relatives, former interns,\u200c and \u200deven\u200d her university tutor.<\/p>\n<p>The criminal information against Furlow-Smiles revealed that she orchestrated\u200c an\u2062 elaborate\u200b kickback \u200cscheme, where associates received payments\u200c from Facebook \u2062and then returned the majority \u2063of the money to\u200b her. She also directed Facebook to \u2064make payments to individuals who did \u2064not\u200b pay \u200ckickbacks, further benefiting herself.<\/p>\n<p>Furlow-Smiles\u200d will be sentenced on \u2062March 19, and\u2063 it remains \u200bunclear if her associates\u2064 will face charges. Meta, formerly known as Facebook, \u200dhas stated \u200dthat they are cooperating with law enforcement in the investigation.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h3>Should companies have DEI departments?<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Yes<\/li>\n<li>No<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Completing this poll entitles you to The Western Journal\u2062 news updates free of charge via\u200d email.\u200c You may \u200copt out\u200c at any time. You\u200c also\u2064 agree to our \u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/about\/privacy-policy\/\">Privacy Policy<\/a> and\u200b <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/about\/terms-service\/\">Terms\u2064 of Use<\/a>.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>According to the criminal information, Furlow-Smiles used various\u200c methods to\u200c receive \u200dkickbacks, including in-person payments, mail deliveries, and wrapping cash\u2063 in other items. She also involved Facebook in her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-mike-lindell-visits-trump-in-white-house-then-media-captures-pictures-of-his-notes-to-president-referring-to-crimes-and-insurrection-act\/\" title=\"BREAKING: Mike Lindell Visits Trump in White House \u2013 Then Media Captures Pictures of His Notes to President Referring to Crimes and Insurrection Act\">fraudulent activities<\/a>, causing the company to make payments to vendors who \u2062were \u200downed by her \u200dfriends and associates.<\/p>\n<p>Furlow-Smiles \u2064will face\u2063 sentencing on March 19, and\u2063 Meta has expressed their cooperation with law enforcement in the\u2062 case. \u2062The identities\u2062 of her associates\u2062 and their potential charges remain unknown.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/ex-facebook-dei-exec-charged-stealing-4m-social-media-giant-elaborate-plot\/\">Ex-Facebook DEI \u200dExec Charged\u2064 with Stealing $4M \u200dfrom Social Media\u2063 Giant with Elaborate Plot<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\">The Western Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How did Facebook&#8217;s financial department discover Furlow-Smiles&#8217;\u200d fraudulent activities<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Heme, persuading them to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/retail-crime-sprees-could-be-exacerbated-by-internal-errors-and-employee-theft\/\" title=\"Internal errors and employee theft may worsen retail crime sprees.\">submit fake invoices<\/a> and receipts for services that were never rendered. In\u200b this way, she was able to maintain the appearance of legitimate \u2064expenses while funneling money into her personal accounts.<\/p>\n<p>Over the course of her scheme, Furlow-Smiles used \u2063the embezzled funds to indulge in an extravagant lifestyle that included luxury purchases, \u2063travel, and real\u2062 estate investments. She enjoyed luxurious \u200dvacations, fine dining\u200b experiences, and high-end shopping sprees, all at the expense of the company she \u2062was supposed to be serving.<\/p>\n<p>The \u2064discovery of Furlow-Smiles&#8217; fraudulent activities came to light during a routine audit by Facebook&#8217;s financial department. Suspicious transactions and inconsistencies in expense \u2063reports prompted a deeper investigation, ultimately \u200drevealing the extent of\u200c her deceit.<\/p>\n<p>Upon being confronted\u2062 with the\u2062 evidence, Furlow-Smiles\u2064 chose to plead guilty\u200d to charges of \u200dwire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering. Her plea marks the end of a once promising career and the beginning of\u2063 a \u2063legal battle that will determine\u200c the appropriate consequences for her actions.<\/p>\n<p>This case not only \u2063highlights the lengths some individuals will go to satisfy their personal desires, but it\u2062 also underscores the importance of \u2062trust in positions of power. Furlow-Smiles abused the trust placed in her \u200cby\u2064 Facebook and betrayed the very\u2062 mission\u2064 she \u2063was meant to uphold.<\/p>\n<p>Companies must be diligent \u200cin selecting individuals\u200d for positions of authority, ensuring their trustworthiness \u200cand integrity. Furthermore, regular\u200d audits and \u200doversight mechanisms should be in place \u2062to detect and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/alabama-rolls-out-new-voter-roll-verification-system-cans-democrat-supported-system\/\" title=\"Alabama introduces new voter roll verification system, replaces Democrat-backed system.\">prevent fraudulent activities<\/a>.\u2062 By doing \u2063so, companies can protect themselves \u200dfrom\u2063 financial\u200c losses and preserve their reputation.<\/p>\n<p>The impact of Furlow-Smiles&#8217; actions extends \u200bbeyond just the financial loss to Facebook. \u200bThe company&#8217;s reputation \u2064has been tarnished, and the public&#8217;s trust has been \u200cshaken. \u2062This\u200c case serves as a reminder that unethical behavior by even a\u200b single employee\u200c can have far-reaching consequences for \u2063an entire organization.<\/p>\n<p>As Furlow-Smiles awaits sentencing, it is \u2063essential that justice is served \u2063and \u200cthat the appropriate punishment is imposed. \u2062This will not only provide closure for \u2064those affected but also\u200d send a message \u2062to others who might consider \u2062engaging in similar illicit activities.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, Barbara Furlow-Smiles&#8217; guilty plea to a $4\u2063 million fraud scheme represents a disturbing abuse of trust and betrayal of \u200cher professional responsibilities. The case\u200c serves as\u200d a stark reminder of the importance of trust and \u200bintegrity in positions of power, and the\u200d need for companies\u2064 to implement robust \u2064oversight mechanisms to prevent and \u2062detect fraudulent\u200c activities. It is now up \u2063to the legal system\u200c to ensure \u2063that \u200cjustice \u2064is served and that \u2062the appropriate consequences are \u2062imposed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Former Facebook executive Barbara Furlow-Smiles admitted guilt in embezzling $4 million from her employer. The ex-global diversity executive misused the funds to sustain a lavish lifestyle in California and Georgia. The Department of Justice stated that Furlow-Smiles exploited her position of power<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":661,"featured_media":2124571,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2124569","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2124569","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/661"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2124569"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2124569\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2124571"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2124569"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2124569"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2124569"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}