Investment Professional And Author Is Sentenced For Defrauding National Women’s Sorority

KNOXVILLE, Tenn.

A Florida woman was sentenced to 24 months in prison for her role in an investment management scheme.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian C. Rabbitt of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney James Douglas Overbey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.

Cheryl Broussard, 63, of Miami, Florida, was sentenced on November 5, 2020 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee by Chief Judge Gregory N. Stivers of the Western District of Kentucky.

Judge Stivers also ordered the defendant to pay $106,000 in restitution and $106,000 in forfeiture.  Broussard pleaded guilty on Aug. 14, 2019, to one count of wire fraud.

Broussard, the author of multiple books on women and finance, advertised herself as a financial professional with over two decades of experience in investment management and fiscal independence for women.

As part of her plea, Broussard admitted to entering into an investment agreement with a professional women’s sorority pursuant to which she would manage $100,000 of the sorority’s funds in February 2015.

Beginning in June 2015, Broussard sent regular investment portfolio reports to the sorority purporting to detail investments in securities.

Unbeknownst to the sorority, Broussard had used its funds for personal expenses, and the periodic reports were fake.

Broussard admitted that, when the sorority noticed inconsistencies in the periodic reports and sought to terminate the agreement, she fabricated a termination penalty that appeared to be part of the original agreement to prevent the sorority from going forward with the termination.

When the sorority eventually terminated the agreement, Broussard failed to remit any funds to the sorority.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Trial Attorney Michelle Pascucci of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank M. Dale are prosecuting the case.

The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section plays a pivotal role in the Department of Justice’s fight against white-collar crime around the country.

Individuals who believe that they may be a victim in this case should visit the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness website for more information.