Couple sentenced for $1.3 million embezzlement scheme

Aug. 12, 2011
A Canfield, OH, couple was sentenced last week after being convicted of stealing $1.3 million from an Austintown trucking company. Scott and Linda Adair were sentenced in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, according to a report by WKBN 27 News. Victims of the embezzlement scheme testified at the sentencing

A Canfield, OH, couple was sentenced last week after being convicted of stealing $1.3 million from an Austintown trucking company. Scott and Linda Adair were sentenced in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court, according to a report by WKBN 27 News. Victims of the embezzlement scheme testified at the sentencing.

“I stand here to represent the 50-some employees that lost their jobs, their healthcare, their benefits and their security. We lost it all sir,” said Southwind Trucking company co-owner Ric Barringer in the sentencing hearing.

In June, the Adairs admitted to stealing cash from Southwind, co-owned by Scott Adair, who also served as treasurer for the trucking firm. Over a four-year period, the Adairs embezzled funds from the trucking company to support a lavish lifestyle. Prosecutors say the couple spent the money on expensive vacations, cars, and jewelry. They forced the Barringer family into bankruptcy, put the fleet out of business and left dozens of vendors unpaid.

“Due to this heinous crime, I had to go personally bankrupt. The debt load that Mr. and Mrs. Adair left as they departed these company obligations gave the creditors no recourse other than to come to me for full restitution,” Barringer said.

“What the Adairs did was not only break our trust, but they broke our hearts,” said former employee Kathy Caldwell. “Mr. Adair took paychecks over $200,000 annually, he lived off our company credit cards for daily expenses and then mortgaged his home to the tune of more than $225,000 in order to feed their cash needs.”

As part of their plea, the Adairs forfeited their home and most of their possessions, which were sold at auction last month, according to the news report. Their home in one of Canfield’s upscale neighborhoods sold for $275,000 at auction, and the contents generated an additional $32,000. However, it was alleged that the couple was still scheming.

“We found out that they re-bought back some of their furniture through the auction,” Caldwell said.

Scott Adair asked the court for leniency at the sentencing hearing.

“There isn’t a day that does by that I don’t regret the actions and the damage that I caused years ago at Southwind,” Scott Adair said.

The judge sentenced Scott Adair to four years in prison. His wife, Linda, will serve four years of probation and was ordered to perform 200 hours of community service. In addition to his prison term, Adair was ordered to make $775,000 in restitution to the company.

“Some people steal just because of greed. They have everything they could possibly have, but that’s not enough. And you are an example of that unfortunately,” Mahoning County Common Pleas Judge Lou D’Apolito told the couple at the sentencing.

About the Author

Deborah Whistler

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