MARTINSBURG, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A former Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office employee has admitted her involvement in a nearly $3 million fraud and embezzlement scheme that lasted more than 17 years and targeted vulnerable individuals and public funds.
Lisa Lee French, 48, of Martinsburg, admitted that she participated in a scheme to steal money collected by the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office and manipulate conservatorship and estate accounts managed by the department.
According to U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey, the fraudulent activity occurred between 2007 and October 2024.
Federal court documents show that French issued fraudulent checks, forged signatures, misused a sheriff’s signature stamp, and diverted money for her personal use.
Investigators identified more than 700 fraudulent transactions, including over 550 forged checks, involving at least 59 conservatorship bank accounts.
The scheme resulted in nearly $3 million in fraudulent transactions, affecting Berkeley County taxpayers, individuals under conservatorship, and the Sheriff’s Office itself.
French has agreed to pay $2,737,932 in restitution to the identified victims.
“Fraud on this scale harms not only those directly targeted, but the entire Berkeley County community. We are committed to ensuring accountability and protecting the integrity of our public offices,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
A second defendant, Barbara Gail Gooden, is also facing charges in connection with the case. Her trial is scheduled for March 23, 2027.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office.
Senior Litigation Counsel Andrew Cogar is prosecuting the case, and U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided over the proceedings.
The case comes as the U.S. Department of Justice continues efforts to combat fraud through its National Fraud Enforcement Division, which focuses on investigating and prosecuting fraudulent activity affecting the American public.
Federal officials have not yet announced a sentencing date for French.
