New Orleans, LA – Sehrelina Tardo, 36, a former accountant at a New Orleans car dealership, was found guilty on March 26 for embezzling customer cash down payments and deposits between November 2018 and May 2023.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Tardo used her position to take money for herself and conceal her theft by creating fake journal entries in the dealership’s records. The total amount she embezzled from the dealership exceeded $500,000.
As part of her guilty plea agreement, Tardo is required to pay $535,750.77 in restitution to the dealership. Her sentencing is scheduled for June 25, and she could face up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Tardo’s conviction highlights the ongoing issue of financial fraud in the workplace, especially in industries where employees handle large sums of money.