A former Oklahoma Beef Council accountant pled guilty last week to stealing more than $2.6 million from the non-profit organization over a seven-year period.
Melissa Day Morton, 45, was charged with two counts of bank fraud and false federal income tax return. According to legal documents, Morton forged 790 unauthorized checks, drawing money from business accounts at the Bank of Oklahoma into her personal account.
The Beef Council Board of Directors gave this statement after the plea:
“We are indebted to federal investigators for the speed at which this has moved. We believe this has been due in part to the quality of evidence we have turned over to investigators.”
The Board is aggressively pursuing efforts to maximize the $2.68 million dollar restitution awarded by a civil court last month.
Morton could face up to 33 years in prison. Sentencing is expected to be handed out in about 90 days.
