Furlow-Smiles Barbara (Barbara Furlow-Smiles)

Biography

2023: Guilty plea for embezzlement of money

On December 12, 2023, the US Department of Justice announced that Barbara Furlow-Smiles, a former executive director of Facebook (owned by Meta Corporation, which is recognized as an extremist organization; activities on the territory of the Russian Federation are prohibited) for diversity, equality and inclusivity, pleaded guilty to embezzlement of money from the company. The woman stole more than $4 million, which she then lowered into luxurious life in California and Georgia.

The case file says that Furlow-Smiles implemented an elaborate scheme involving bogus suppliers and cash kickbacks. The woman had access to the company's credit cards and could independently submit purchase applications and approve invoices for suppliers. Using her official position, the fraudster forced Facebook to pay numerous individuals for goods and services that were never provided to the company. She even involved relatives and friends in her crimes. At the same time, fictitious sellers paid her kickbacks.

As part of the fraudulent scheme, Furlow-Smiles linked Facebook credit cards to PayPal, Venmo or Cash App accounts and then transferred money from the company's accounts to her friends, acquaintances and others for fictitious goods and services. After that, the recipients of payments returned the bulk of the funds received to the woman - either in cash or in transfers to other cards. In addition, Furlow-Smiles took a different approach: she ordered products at inflated prices from suppliers owned and operated by her friends and partners. After that, the fraudster also received kickbacks.

The case is handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in collaboration with Meta. The 38-year-old Furlow-Smiles will be sentenced on March 19, 2024.^[1]

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