EVANSVILLE – Ellen L. Corn, 47, of Petersburg, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on fifteen counts of wire fraud, after allegedly embezzling more than $156,000 from a Dubois County nonprofit organization that facilitates a youth mentoring program.
The indictment was unsealed on February 27, 2023, following Corn’s arrest and initial appearance.
According to court documents, Corn served as the Executive Director of the nonprofit from March 2017 through August 2022. During her employment, Corn had various financial responsibilities including entering all income and expenses into the organization’s accounting software.
Over that five-year period, Corn allegedly stole more than $156,000 by using an organizational credit card for personal expenses without authorization. She attempted to conceal her unauthorized purchases by not entering them into the accounting software. Corn allegedly used the organization’s credit card to purchase goods and services from various businesses, including Amazon, Target, and Walmart, and to make payments to colleges. Further, Corn allegedly used the credit card to make electronic payments from the official business PayPal account to her personal PayPal account. Once the funds appeared in her PayPal account, she transferred them to her personal checking account.
If convicted of wire fraud, Corn faces up to 20 years imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine the actual sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Jeffrey R. Adams, Special Agent in Charge of the USSS Indianapolis Field Office, and Nathan Schmitt, Chief of Police for the Jasper Police Department made the announcement.
U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who is prosecuting this case.
