Decatur Woman Charged with Embezzlement from Cox

A Decatur woman has been arraigned on charges in an indictment that a federal grand jury returned last May for allegedly stealing more than $900,000 from Cox Communications.

According to United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates in a news release, Decatur’s Joysha Flucker, 36, and Sakia Allen, 38, of Jonesboro, previously worked for Cox Communications, where they had access to the company’s electronic invoicing system that tracked the company’s payments to various third parties. 

Flucker and Allen manipulated the electronic invoicing system so that Cox Communications would issue duplicate payments to the third parties. However, the duplicate payments were directed into bank accounts under the control of the defendants. As a result of the defendants’ actions, Cox Communications suffered losses of at least $943,865.46. 

Flucker was arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard on Tuesday on the charges and was detained. Allen previously entered a plea of guilty to one count of wire fraud on July 25, 2013, before United States District Judge William S. Duffey, Jr.

The indictment charges the defendants with multiple counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy. Each wire fraud count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and the conspiracy count carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison. Each count also carries 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.

The United States is also seeking the forfeiture of all funds derived from this scheme. The United States previously forfeited a house and luxury automobiles as proceeds of the alleged offense. 

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Sandy Springs Police Department.