Former Park Forest woman sentenced to two years in prison

Chicago, IL—(ENEWSPF)—A former Park Forest woman has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for embezzling more than $600,000 from bankruptcy accounts.

Becky Louise Sutton, a former paralegal at a Chicago law firm, fraudulently misappropriated funds from 2009 to 2018 while working on bankruptcy matters for the firm. Sutton embezzled money from more than 40 bankrupt estate accounts and several liquidated trust accounts in Chapter 7 and 11 cases.

Sutton, then 67, of Austin, Texas, and formerly of Park Forest, Illinois, pleaded guilty on December 14, 2023, to a charge of wire fraud. She was indicted in April 2022. The conviction carried a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland set sentencing for April 2, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.

Former Park Forester orchestrated fraudulent transfers

Sutton orchestrated fraudulent transfers of bankruptcy funds from trust bank accounts intended for creditors to accounts she controlled, including her personal bank account, credit card account, student loan account, and mortgage account. In one case, Sutton listed a company whose name was similar to that of a real creditor to conceal his fraudulent misappropriation of funds.

Sutton's conduct victimized not only creditors, but also her law firm, a partner in the firm she worked for, and the U.S. Trust Program, among others.

Sutton, 68, of Manteno, Illinois, pleaded guilty last year to wire fraud. In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Mary M. Rowland ordered Sutton to pay $611,263 in restitution.

Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office, announced the sentence. The American trustee program provided valuable assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Kartik K. Raman represented the government.

This is a release from the United States Department of Justice.