A former Williamsburg woman was sentenced Tuesday to more than five years in prison for stealing $514,000 from an area ophthalmologist.
Sherea Darnell, 35, worked at Riverside Medical Group’s Cullom Eye and Laser Center in Williamsburg from 2012 to 2016 as a practice manager, during which time she used three of doctor Robert Cullom’s credit cards for personal expenditures, according to a Department of Justice news release.
During those four years of employment, Darnell obtained access to Cullom’s Wells Fargo Advisors bank accounts, which she used to pay off the credit cards without permission.
One account was designated to pay for medical equipment.
Prosecutors said Darnell used Cullom’s credit cards to pay for her son’s preschool tuition, which she deducted from her 2016 tax return. She also took more than $90,000 in cash advances and used them to hire a maid service and purchase high-end clothing, airline tickets for herself and her family, and luxury vehicles.
Darnell did not report any of the funds on her tax returns.
After resigning from her manager position at the eye-care practice in August 2016, Darnell continued to use Cullom’s credit cards for moving and other expenses.
Darnell was convicted by a federal jury in May on charges of wire fraud, bank fraud and filing false federal income tax returns, according to the news release.
