Former Traer firm bookkeeper faces wire fraud charges for embezzling

CEDAR RAPIDS — A 49-year-old Toledo woman was indicted last month on charges of embezzling over $400,000 from a Traer trucking business from 2015 to 2020.

Leann Marie Rouse, a former bookkeeper for Siemens Trucking Inc., will have an initial appearance and arraignment in U.S. District Court next Friday. She will be charged with three counts of wire fraud, according to the indictment.

The scheme to defraud started as early as 2015 and continued through Aug. 20, 2020, according to the indictment. Rouse, as the bookkeeper since 2011, had access to and control of Siemens’ financial accounting software and she handled the payroll.

Rouse is accused of issuing unauthorized company checks to herself for personal use, the indictment stated. She would either deposit all or a portion of the funds in her personal bank account or take a portion in cash. Rouse then used the company’s accounting software to report the unauthorized checks were business expenditures related to other companies or vendors Siemens worked with.

The indictment included three examples of wire transactions for $2,200 or $2,350. Prosecutors don’t have to include every wire transaction or example of fraud in an indictment.

Rouse is accused of using or misappropriating over $400,000 from Siemens’ bank account.

She is also charged in Tama County District Court with two counts of first-degree theft and one charge of ongoing activity commission of specified unlawful activity for the same embezzlement scheme.

The state court documents stated the embezzlement was discovered in August 2020 after the owner of Siemens received a call from the bank stating officials there believed Rouse was stealing from the company.

From March 2 to June 30, 2015, Rouse issued checks to herself totaling $16,700, which she deposited and cashed, according to the Tama County criminal complaint. Over the entire year of 2015, she is accused of stealing more than $41,000. From 2016 to 2020, she is accused of depositing or cashing $236,995 in unauthorized funds, the complaint stated.

Tama County court documents mention she may be indicted for the charged crime in federal court in March, but the state court charges haven’t been dismissed at this time, which typically happens if federal prosecutors pursue a case.

Tama County Attorney Brent Heeren didn’t respond to an email request for comment.

If convicted, Rouse faces up to 20 years on each count and possible fines or restitution.

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