State Analyst Goes to Prison After $650K Theft over Gambling Addiction

• An investigation uncovers hundreds of thousands of dollars missing and a State Department Senior Budget Analyst is identified as the prime suspect
• Overall, $657,347.50 was stolen over nearly two years by the former Analyst, who concealed her actions
• The Montgomery Village woman was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison, needs to pay restitution to the US government and undergo three years of supervised release

A woman, who stole more than half a million dollars to fund a gambling habit, was recently sentenced to prison.

Fraud results in $650,000 theft

The United States Attorney's Office District of Columbia released details regarding the embezzlement case that involved a former State Department Senior Budget Analyst.

The criminal case was investigated by the State Department's Office of Inspector General and Diplomatic Security Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kondi Kleinman, in collaboration with former Paralegal Specialist Sona Chaturvedi prosecuted the case.

In the center of the embezzlement was a 65-year-old Montgomery Village, Maryland, resident whose name is Levita Almuete Ferrer.

Prior to an investigation, which uncovered hundreds of thousands of dollars missing, the woman served as a Senior Budget Analyst for the State Department’s Office of the Chief of Protocol.

However, Ferrer abused her position, the Court said, after issuing 60 checks payable to herself and three checks payable to another person with whom she was related.

All 63 checks were printed and signed by her, then deposited into her personal checking and savings account.

The total sum of the checks was $657,347.50 and according to the Court, the embezzlement had taken place between March 2022 and April 2024.

The stolen money was used primarily for gambling, Court documents reveal.

An investigation revealed that Ferrer concealed her actions by using a common QuickBooks account at the State Department.

Despite issuing checks payable to herself, she then changed the listed payee in QuickBooks to a vendor for the State Department.

This helped Ferrer conceal her actions as the system wouldn't display her name unless checks were accessed via an audit trail.

The former Senior Analyst was sentenced to one year and one day in prison

Earlier this year, on April 30, Ferrer pleaded guilty to theft of government property.

Under her guilty plea, the 65-year-old woman agreed to release conditions set by Judge Christopher R. Cooper.

Those conditions included a prohibition from visiting casinos.

However, the same day Ferrer pleaded guilty, she visited the MGM National Harbor casino, the Court said.

Then, on the following week, she gambled on high-limit slots at the same casino.

After the government became aware of her actions, the Court was notified, and Judge Cooper revoked her release condition and ordered her detained awaiting sentencing.

Late last week, the Montgomery Village resident was sentenced by Judge Cooper to 12 months and one day in prison for the embezzlement of $650,000.

Ferrer was also ordered to pay $657,347.50 in restitution to the US government and undergo three years of supervised release.

Not unexpectedly, she is also prohibited from visiting casinos or gambling.

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