Louise Larivee Pleads Guilty To Non-Profit Embezzlement

The Acting United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Louise Larivee, 63, of Swanton, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court to a federal fraud charge.  The guilty plea came on the third day of a jury trial in Rutland.  Chief U.S. District Judge Geoffrey Crawford continued Larivee’s release on conditions pending sentencing, which will be scheduled for the spring.   

On June 13, 2019, a federal grand jury in Burlington returned a two-count indictment charging Larivee with conspiracy and federal program embezzlement.  Candy Thomas, 64, also of Swanton, a separately charged co-conspirator, had previously pled guilty to the federal program embezzlement charge.  According to the evidence presented during the trial and other court documents, between 2013 and 2017, Larivee was employed by the Abenaki Self Help Association, Inc. in Swanton as the director of a federal grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor.  ASHAI functioned as a service arm of the Abenaki Nation, promoting economic and social development through programatic efforts in education, employment and economic development.  Each year, ASHAI received tens of thousands of dollars in grant money from the Department of Labor.  During that same period, Candy Thomas worked at ASHAI as an office worker and bookkeeper.  Thomas had check signing authority on ASHAI’s bank accounts.

According to the indictment and testimony at Larivee’s trial, between 2013 and 2017, Larivee and Thomas conspired to embezzle, and did embezzle, more than $100,000 from ASHAI.  Thomas aided the commission of this theft by issuing checks and giving cash to Larivee, at Larivee’s request, in amounts that significantly exceeded Larivee’s authorized compensation.  Larivee also received travel reimbursement checks based upon fraudulently inflated mileage claims.  Thomas helped cover up this fraud by sending tax forms to the Internal Revenue Service that concealed the true amount of ASHAI funds that were being paid over to Larivee.  

Thomas, who testified at Larivee’s trial, is scheduled to be sentenced next month.  

Both Larivee and Thomas face up to ten years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.  Their actual sentence will be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.

Larivee is represented by David Kirby.  Candy Thomas is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Steve Barth.  The prosecutors are Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Waples and Spencer Willig.