Former Miss Florida Scholarship Director “Steals $ 100,000 from the Fund to Pay for Luxury Dinners, Online Dating Fees, Maid Cleaning and Shopping Services”
- Former Miss Florida Scholarship Program Director Mary Wickersham, 76, has been charged with seven counts of fraud against corporate and individual donors.
- Between December 2011 and June 2018, Wickersham is said to have spent at least $ 100,000 on the Miss Florida Scholarship Program.
- Wickersham is said to have formed a fraudulent corporation in Florida called Miss Florida LLC and used the fake corporation to open a bank account to which only she had access.
- It was then claimed that Wickersham would request donations on behalf of the Miss Florida organization, but would deposit money into its Miss Florida account.
- This money helped finance her glamorous lifestyle by paying for shopping, household goods, maid services, dinners, online dating fees and other expenses.
- Wickersham is said to have stolen from the Children’s Miracle Network by adding the words “Miss Florida Pageant” to donation checks
The former CEO of Miss Florida The scholarship program faces federal fees for allegedly stealing $ 100,000 in donations to pay for personal expenses and shopping.
Mary Wickersham, 76, who also bears the names of Mary Sullivan and Mary Harvey, surrendered on Tuesday and was charged with seven counts of fraud against corporate and individual donors, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Florida announcements in Tuesday.
Federal prosecutors say that between December 2011 and June 2018, Wickersham spent at least $ 100,000 belonging to the Miss Florida Scholarship Program, a nonprofit that raises money to provide scholarships to young women through competitions and other charitable organizations for her personal expenses.
The money helped fund her glamorous lifestyle by paying for shopping, household goods, maid services, dinners, online dating fees and other expenses, prosecutors said.
A judge set Wickersham’s bail at $ 100,000. If convicted on all charges, the 76-year-old could face up to 20 years in prison.
Former Miss Florida Scholarship Program Director Mary Wickersham, 76, (pictured) has been charged with seven counts of fraud against corporate and individual donors.
Federal prosecutors say that between December 2011 and June 2018, Wickersham (downtown) spent at least $ 100,000, which belongs to the Miss Florida Scholarship Program
Wickersham, 76, also named Mary Sullivan and Mary Harvey, surrendered on Tuesday and was charged with seven counts of corporate and individual donor fraud.
Wickersham is said to have set up a fraudulent corporation in Florida called Miss Florida LLC and used the fake corporation to open a bank account that only she has access to, according to prosecutors.
It was then claimed that Wickersham would ask for donations on behalf of the Miss Florida organization, but instead of depositing the funds in the organization’s bank account, she would deposit money into her Miss Florida account at Bank of America.
Following her resignation in 2018, the scholarship program found “financial irregularities” in their accounts and contacted authorities, the organization said in a statement. statement.
“The current Board of Directors acts in accordance with the relevant legislatures and the Miss America National Program on this matter,” said the Miss Florida Scholarship Program. “We are in a strong fiscal position and are seeing increasing success in raising funds for scholarships.”
It is also alleged that Wickersham defrauded the Everglades Foundation, one of Florida’s largest environmental organizations, a small local store called Anne Marie’s Boutique and a former Miss Florida winner identified only as LR in court documents. Miami Herald reported.
Wickersham is even said to have stolen from the Children’s Miracle Network, which raises money for hospitals by adding the words “Miss Florida Pageant” to donation checks and depositing funds into her fraudulent account, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). said.
Wickersham is said to have formed a fraudulent corporation in Florida called Miss Florida LLC and used the fake corporation to open a bank account to which only she had access.
It is alleged that Wickersham even stole from the Children’s Miracle Network by adding the words “Miss Florida Pageant” to donation checks and depositing funds into the fraud account.
‘Miss. Wickersham not only stole charitable donations from the Scholarship Program, but also from two local charities and a local business affiliated with Miss Florida, “said Miami Special Agent Troy Walker.
“Agents believe the fraud has been going on for several years,” he added.
She is due to appear in court again Monday at 10 a.m.
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