A former office manager pleaded guilty Tuesday to embezzling over $223,000 from Dartmouth College's student newspaper.
Nicole Chambers, 40, who now lives in Florida but used to live in Springfield, Vermont, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in federal court in Concord, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for New Hampshire. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 12.
Chambers was the office manager for the student newspaper, "The D," from 2012 to 2021, and had full access to the publication's finances, including its bank account, PayPal and Venmo accounts and debit card.
From April 2017 to September 2021, prosecutors said Chambers stole money from the newspaper, primarily using its PayPal accounts to make unauthorized transfers to accounts she controlled. She also made unauthorized transfers from the publication's Venmo account and made unauthorized purchases on its debit card.
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In total, she stole $223,372.51 from the student newspaper, using the funds on personal expenses, including over $20,000 on personal trips. She also spent about $2,000 of the money to pay fees associated with her husband's court case in Rhode Island.
She now faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or greater.
The FBI led the investigation, with assistance from Hanover police and the Grafton County Attorney's Office. The U.S. Attorney's office is prosecuting the case.
