Donna Osowitt Steele of Taylorsville is accused of embezzling over $15 million from her employer Tigra, in Hickory, between 2013 and 2020. Steele was employed at the company in 1999 and was promoted to chief executive officer in 2015, federal court documents say. He said after several phone calls, he was able to get his money back, but the new property owner, Kerrie Carter, told Channel 9 that Steele has not reimbursed all of the brides. Please subscribe to keep reading. Federal defendant Donna Steele, right, escorted by attorney Ronald Frey gets into a vehicle at the federal courthouse in Charlotte in January after pleading guilty to embezzling more than $15 million while employed by TIGRA USA in Hickory. She claimed her parents were very wealthy and that was how she could afford all of the stuff she did, he said. Mooneyham, Chapman and Holm described a work environment where employees were demeaned and turned against one another. Custom Lake Front New Build. Carter and Goewey said their desire to serve comes from decades spent in the hospitality industry. Last week, The Times reported that Donna Osowitt Steele, of Taylorsville, was named as the alleged embezzler of more than $15 million in a Bill of . Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Maybe not surprised, Britt Perkins said. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Those writing in support of Steele included her family members and representatives of a prison ministry Steele has worked with. Free Tools ; Leads by Industry ; Top Profiles . The best result we found for your search is Donna M Steele age 50s in Hickory, NC. Dissolved. Past Addresses: Hickory NC, Kannapolis NC +11 more. Steele used some of the money to fund a craving for luxury clothing and accessories, including spending more than $500,000 on jewelry alone and high-end purchases in New York City at stores that included Sephora and Ted Baker. Hickory fiber optic manufacturer CommScope was the victim of a ransomware attack in late March, the company confirmed in a statement Tuesday. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Donna Osowitt Steele is accused of embezzling more than $15 million from her employer, Tigra, in Hickory between 2013 and 2020, according to court documents. She was up most of the night, crying, stressing out about it, because this is one of the best days of her life, he said. TAYLORSVILLE, N.C. A Taylorsville woman, charged in a wire fraud embezzlement scheme worth millions, has accepted a plea deal. Faherty also stopped by Steeles Home Market general store on Monday but said the doors were locked and there are for sale signs in front. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. 'We were all pawns in Donna's game:' Employees blast embezzling - News Use (828) 322-3512 to contact Donna with caution. Steele would blame the pay and cash flow irregularities on the companys German owners while also isolating her fellow employees from the owners, instructing them not to communicate with the ownership and to include her in the communications with the ownership, according to the employees. Hopefully karma is finally going to get her, he said. She had been living at that address since December 2007. Prosecutors said she used company credit cards, checks and wire transfers to steal company funds, transferring $350,000 to a boutique company called Opulence by Steele, a luxury clothing and boutique company she created in 2013. The charge of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Donna Osowitt Steele, 52, of Taylorsville, N.C., appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David S. Cayer today and pleaded guilty to wire fraud, for embezzling more than $15 million from her former employer, announced Dena J. Alexander County woman expected to plead guilty in $15M embezzlement case. Donna Steele pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $15 million from a Hickory business over seven years. Tigra Steele pleaded guilty to a wire fraud embezzlement scheme that involved Tigra, a company based out of Hickory. Prosecutors said Steele used company credit cards, checks and wire transfers to steal company funds. She needs to go away for a long time.. Mooneyham also recalled Steele using her own credit card in some cases to pay for charges when the company card was declined. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Were really kind of just starting to look into all the opportunities here, but thats kind of what we see, where we see it going into the future., The names, Ellendale Farms and Ellendale Events, were inspired by the location of the farm. You can cancel at any time. Steele also used stolen money to fund personal businesses run by her family. 2. She allegedly charged approximately $255,000 for stays at the Plaza Hotel in New York City, more than $500,000 for jewelry, over $200,000 for family wedding expenses and more than $100,000 for flowers. A man was arrested on an attempted rape charge thanks to the quick action of a local businessman and his friend. 1. When credit card companies reached out to Steele about suspicious transactions, she would respond saying the transactions were approved, the documents said. Among those arguing for a harsher sentence were employees who worked under Steele, one of whom wrote, We were all pawns in Donnas game.. Goewey said the operation hopes to offer vacation rentals, starting with the cabin on the property. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Donna M Steele | 3rd Street Ln NW, Hickory, NC | Whitepages You have permission to edit this article. Former Hickory CEO sentenced to 8 years in prison in $15M - Yahoo News James Goewey II and Stacy Austin are the co-owners of Ellendale Farms LLC. TIGRA is seeking restitution in excess of $16 million. Business owner says Alexander County woman's embezzlement scheme in 1995 cost company $500,000; Donna Steele expected in court Wednesday to face charges of embezzling $15 million. Former NC CEO accused of embezzling $15 million to fund - WWAYTV3 She used the misappropriated funds for lavish personal purchases and a side business. Steele also used stolen money to fund personal businesses run by her family, according to a court filing Friday by U.S. Attorney Dena Kings office. View their profile including current address, phone number 828-322-XXXX, background check reports, and property record on Whitepages, the most trusted online directory. Donna Steele enters the federal courthouse in Charlotte on Thursday afternoon. Donna Steele, seen here in January walking to the federal courthouse to plead guilty to embezzling millions from a Hickory company, is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 3. Steele used company credit cards to pay for $6 million in personal expenditures, including high-end retail store purchases, luxury hotel accommodations, event ticket purchases, expensive jewelry, family weddings and purchases related to Opulence by Steele, a luxury clothing and boutique company the defendant founded in 2013, the news release stated. She also has houses in Killeen, 800 Beeler Ave, Hamlet, 177 Woodrow Run, and 6449 Rockford Dr in Fayetteville. Being in this room, Im picturing a bride standing there saying their vows, Carter said. She was ordered to surrender her passport and will be sentenced at a later date. Tigra was founded in Germany in 1983 by Harald Feld and Helge Motzer, the companys website says. She also had four charges for worthless checks in Yadkin County that year. He said she used the money to purchase a house, cars, extravagant trips and a Jet Ski. Two men and two teens have been charged in connection with a shooting that left a 17-year-old seriously injured Tuesday afternoon. 1. Steele pleaded guilty to wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The farm is roughly 72 acres and was purchased by Ellendale Farms LLC for $1.5 million in January. The attorneys also claimed the corporate culture at TIGRA brought out the worst in Steele. A Hickory man charged in a fatal hit-and-run in Claremont made his first appearance in Catawba County court on Monday. Employees of a tool company in Hickory condemned their former CEO Donna Steele as a manipulative liar in letters to a federal judge intended to influence sentencing in Steeles embezzlement case. Frey said Steele does not plan to comment on the case as of Wednesday and said Steele might have a statement at a later date. A Taylorsville woman who earlier this year pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $15 million has signaled she is willing to begin making restitution payments ahead of her sentencing. Ellendale Events co-owner Kerrie Carter explains what she loves about the property that was formerly known as Steeles Farms. Hickory, NC. Perkins was not satisfied with the sentence Steele received in 1995. There was a problem saving your notification. Donna Steele lives at 1260 6th N.W. 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Goewey said their plan is to have a working farm on the property. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Former NC CEO accused of embezzling $15 million accepts plea deal. Prosecutors argued in a sentencing memo that Steele went to great lengths to disguise her illicit activity by opening accounts in the companys name without the owners knowledge and pushing through transactions after they had been flagged as potentially inappropriate. Donna Steele in Hickory, NC - Address & Phone Number | Whitepages Her court date has not been scheduled. You have permission to edit this article. A former Hickory CEO is set to spend eight years in federal prison for embezzling more than $15 million from the company she once headed. You have permission to edit this article. Former NC CEO accused of embezzling $15 million accepts plea deal. The main room has a large wooden cross in the center of the back wall and is lit by chandeliers hanging from the tall ceiling. TIGRA USA, Inc. , Vice President Mrs. Donna Steele 1106 8th ST CT SE Hickory, NC 28602, USA. Steele is accused of spending millions for weddings, trips for herself and family members, other entertainment-related expenses and more.