Former CFO of Chicago staffing firm sentenced for embezzling $510K

CHICAGO - The former chief financial officer of a staffing firm in Chicago was sentenced to over two years in prison for embezzling more than $510,000.

What we know:

Charles Nelson, 67, pleaded guilty last year to a federal wire fraud charge.

Nelson, while employed in the firm's Chicago office in 2018 and 2019, carried out a scheme to misuse company funds for personal gain. Nelson began by buying meals and travel purchases before moving to bigger items such as jewelry, gold and home renovations.

Investigators said he spent company money on high-end items such as Cartier and Rolex watches, a diamond bracelet and expensive household appliances.

To carry out the scheme, Nelson is accused of bypassing several internal financial safeguards.

On Aug. 4, Nelson was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison and ordered to pay over $510,000 in restitution.

What they're saying:

"Defendant squandered the company’s money on extravagant items, such as gold, coins, jewelry, trips, and meals," Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Kelly argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. "His offense was not an isolated lapse in judgment or simple mistake. It was a carefully orchestrated pattern of theft from a company that trusted defendant to serve as CFO, and his offense took a financial and emotional toll on the honest, hard-working employees left in its wake."