Former Lubbock Law Firm Manager Admits to $2.7 Million Embezzlement Scheme

A federal court record was published on Thursday, indicating that a former accounting manager at a Lubbock law firm has pleaded guilty to embezzling over $2.7 million.

Emily Ann Anderson confessed to charges of Unauthorized Transactions with an Access Device, thereby disclosing her involvement in a series of schemes that extended over a long time.Unauthorized transactions from the firm's accounts were executed by Anderson, who joined the company in 2018.

Court documents reveal this. She concealed her actions by establishing a fictitious consulting group and issuing checks to it. The firm was compelled to engage a forensic accounting company to conduct an investigation after her schemeswere exposed in May 2024.Three principal methods of embezzlement were identified during the forensic audit. Anderson utilized the company's credit card to make 186 unauthorized purchases on Amazon, which amounted to $38,177.86.

Additionally, she converted $2,435,364.60 for personal use by issuing 278 unauthorized disbursements from the firm's operating account. Anderson also increased her compensation without authorization, adding $30,000 in 2022, $115,000 in 2023, and $125,000 in 2024.

Anderson embezzled a total of $2,743,542.56 prior to her termination in May. She may be sentenced to 15 years in prison if her plea agreement is approved. The company, which has not been identified, promptly terminated Anderson's employment and informed the authorities upon discovering the fraudulent activity.

Anderson's sentencing date has not yet been scheduled, and she was not being held at the Lubbock County Detention Center as of Thursday.