Picture this: a high-flying Facebook exec, living the good life, and secretly swiping a whopping $4 million from the company. Well, buckle up, because Barbara Furlow-Smiles just pulled off a real-life corporate caper.
Meet the Mastermind: Facebook’s Not-So-Innocent Insider
Barbara Furlow-Smiles, the big shot at Facebook turned swindler extraordinaire. With a fancy title like lead strategist and global head of this and that, she seemed like one of the good guys. But, surprise, surprise – she had a hidden agenda. According to the U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan’s Office, she went from a global diversity exec to a cunning con artist during her stint from 2017 to 2021.
Facebook: Living the High Life on Facebook’s Dime
While Facebook was busy being Facebook, Furlow-Smiles was pulling off the ultimate hustle. The U.S. Attorney spilled the tea, exposing how she was living it up in California and Georgia, turning her Facebook expense account into her personal piggy bank.
Facebook’s Bankrolling of Luxuries
What did Furlow-Smiles spend the stolen millions on? Brace yourself for a shopping list that reads like a celeb’s dream. Hair stylists? Check. Babysitters? Check. And oh, an $18,000 preschool bill? Yup, that too. Buchanan’s office spilled the beans, highlighting how Furlow-Smiles was playing fast and loose with Facebook’s cash, all while posing as a top Facebook honcho.
Creative Scams and Crafty Moves
This wasn’t your run-of-the-mill heist. Furlow-Smiles had a plan – a digital maze of linked credit cards, PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App. This high-tech setup allowed her to pay for services that never saw the light of day. And get this, she even roped in friends, family, and associates to be part of her kickback crew.
Facebook: Unraveling the Scam
As investigators dug deeper, they uncovered Furlow-Smiles’ game of inflated invoices. Vendors in cahoots with her would jack up the prices, and the extra dough circled back into her pockets. Talk about a tangled web of deceit. U.S. Attorney Buchanan drove the point home, saying, “She even involved relatives, friends, and other associates in her crimes, all to fund a lavish lifestyle through fraud rather than hard and honest work.”
Facebook : Judgment Day
As the smoke clears, Furlow-Smiles faces the music for her sneaky spree. The sentencing is set for March 19, 2024. Until then, the Facebook heist stands as a cautionary tale – a reminder that even the swankiest offices can hide a web of schemes