Meridian Woman Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling $1.7M from Black Canyon Irrigation District
Catherine Skidmore, a 56-year-old woman from Meridian, has been handed a 41-month prison sentence for her involvement in a wire fraud and money laundering scheme. Skidmore embezzled a staggering $1.7 million from the Black Canyon Irrigation District (BCID), as confirmed by U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit. This case highlights the consequences of such illicit activities, with Skidmore also being ordered to pay restitution of $1,792,207.59 and serve three years of supervised release following her prison term.
Court records reveal that Skidmore held the position of Secretary-Treasurer at the BCID from January 2014 until July 2022. In this role, she had access to various financial accounts and possessed signature authority over the BCID’s bank accounts. As part of her responsibilities, Skidmore managed fee collection, bill payments, investment account management, and maintained the BCID’s QuickBooks database and ledgers. Her authority extended to the BCID’s savings account at a bank and a Local Government Investment Pool (LGIP) account administered by the Idaho State Treasurer.
Between May 2019 and July 2022, Skidmore devised a fraudulent scheme, embezzling over $1.7 million by orchestrating a complex series of transfers between the BCID’s financial accounts. To execute the scheme, Skidmore forged a board member’s signature on a falsified form, enabling her to open an unauthorized LGIP account with the Idaho State Treasurer without the BCID’s knowledge or approval. From June 2019 onwards, Skidmore initiated and supervised transfers from the original LGIP account to the unauthorized account, discreetly maneuvering $1,792,000 into an ICCU savings account via 25 interstate wire transfers—completely unbeknownst to the BCID.
Once the illicitly obtained funds arrived in the BCID’s savings account, Skidmore withdrew them, primarily in the form of cashier’s checks. These funds were subsequently utilized for personal purposes, including the payment of credit card bills for both Skidmore and others, real estate taxes, home improvements, mortgage payments, and the acquisition of real property, solar panels, vehicles, and investment accounts.
Skidmore took extensive measures to conceal her embezzlement, falsifying entries in the BCID’s internal accounting records to give the false impression that the funds were utilized for legitimate expenses. She also created fictitious invoices to further camouflage her illicit activities within the BCID’s business expenses.
U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for their diligent investigation, leading to the charges brought against Skidmore. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Mazorol and Brittney Campbell were involved in prosecuting this case.
This conviction serves as a stark reminder that embezzlement and fraudulent schemes have severe consequences. Skidmore’s actions not only violated the trust placed in her but also had a significant impact on the Black Canyon Irrigation District. The justice system has demonstrated its commitment to holding individuals accountable for financial crimes, ensuring the restitution owed to the BCID is duly repaid.
