Georgia Tech Employee Pleads Guilty to Fruad

A Georgia woman who attempted to defraud the Georgia Institute of Technology and the National Science Foundation, pleaded guilty in a Georgia court this week.

Donna Renee Gamble, 43, of Marietta admitted to charging more than $300,000 in personal expenses using Georgia Tech credit cards.

“This former Georgia Tech employee has now admitted her blatant and extensive misuse of her government P-card. Employees with access to government credit cards should understand that the unauthorized use of public funds can lead to a felony conviction and prison,” said United States Attorney David E. Nahmias.

According to Nahmias, Gamble was employed by Georgia Tech in Atlanta, where she was assigned to the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience. As an employee of Georgia Tech, she had access to one or more Georgia Tech credit cards, also known as Procurement Cards or “P-Cards.” Gamble was allowed to use the P-Card for authorized official business purchases only. She was prohibited from charging personal purchases on her Georgia Tech P-Cards.

From April 2002 through April 2007, Gamble used her Georgia Tech P-Cards to purchase more than 3,800 personal items, at a total cost of more than $316,000. Gamble created fake receipts in an effort to conceal and disguise the personal nature of certain charges on her Georgia Tech P-Cards. She then submitted these falsified receipts to her supervisor, and made false entries in Georgia Tech's accounting records. Grant money provided to Georgia Tech by the NSF was used to pay for Gamble’s personal purchases.

She was indicted on the charges on March 12, 2008, and pled guilty to all 22 counts in the Indictment, which charged mail fraud and theft from an organization receiving federal funds. The charges each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders. Sentencing for Gamble has been set for July 22, 2008, at 2 p.m. before Judge Jack T. Camp.