An incident that began six years ago took a new turn in recent days. A man accused of white collar crimes was apprehended on the Appalachian Trail, which begins in Georgia and stretches toward the Northeast for more than 2,000 miles. The man involved is age 53, and authorities claim that he had embezzled more than $8 million from his former employer.
Representatives from the FBI explained that the when the man in question was accused of stealing from his employer in 2009, he became a suspected fugitive from justice. Agents placed the man under arrest in May 2015, while he was at a festival celebrating the trail he had frequented for the past six years. Many people have said that he had become very well known along the famous hiking trail.
An author of a trail guidebook stated that the man’s image was published in several hikers’ journals and that he regularly corresponded, sending information from his travels that he thought pertinent for the guidebook writer. Before he is said to have fled from authorities, he had worked at a Pepsi-Cola bottling company. It was during that time that his employer accused him of embezzling millions of dollars in funds.
He had been slated for an upcoming trial after pleading not guilty to charges of money laundering and wire fraud. However, a recent update stated that his trial has been canceled because of a plea agreement. That agreement, of course, will be subject to court approval. Those in Georgia or elsewhere in the United States, who are accused of similar white collar crimes, may choose to consult with attorneys in order to determine which options are available to them as they face their criminal charges.
Source: wlwt.com, “Plea deal for embezzling suspect nabbed on Appalachian Trial”, Oct. 2, 2015
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