ST. LOUIS — A former executive of a local company was sentenced Friday in a $2.1 million embezzlement scheme in which he used company money to pay off personal credit cards.Â
Richard D. Zellner, 66, of O'Fallon, Missouri, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for using company funds to pay off $2.1 million in credit card debt and other personal expenses from 2019 to January 2024, according to press release.
The release did not list the company Zellner worked for. Court records identified the company only by its initials, JBR.Â
Federal authorities said Zellner paid off his credit card balance once he’d incurred thousands of dollars in charges, which typically occurred every few days or couple of weeks. He spent the money on vacations, travel, personal bills, and gold and precious metals.
Zellner, as chief financial officer, covered by his scheme by altering company accounting records by creating fake work orders and bills.
