Mary Wickersham, 77, was the chief director of the Miss Florida Scholarship Program from 2002 till she left her place in 2018. After her departure, new management started to note lacking funds and monetary irregularities.
Following an investigation, Wickersham (often known as Mary Sullivan) was arrested in 2022, and was sentenced to fifteen months in jail this Wednesday after pleading responsible to stealing tons of of hundreds of {dollars} supposed for the scholarship program over the course of seven years. The previous pageant director should pay $243,000 in restitution for her crime.
“Ms. Wickersham not solely stole charitable donations from the Scholarship Program but additionally from two native charitable organizations and a neighborhood enterprise affiliated with Miss Florida,” Troy Walker, Florida Division of Regulation Enforcement particular agent in cost, stated after her arrest in 2022.
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In 2011, Wickersham established an organization referred to as Miss Florida LLC, and opened a checking account below the identical title. She then used the account to redirect tons of of hundreds of {dollars} to her account and used her place as director to solicit donations from sponsors and donors below the impression that the funds had been going to the scholarship program.
“In truth, Wickersham used the cash for her personal private use and acquire,” the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace stated in a press launch.
Donations supposed for scholarship recipients had been spent on every little thing from buying sprees, utilities, on-line courting charges, residence items, a cleansing service, and eating out.
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