A former diversity manager at Facebook and Nike, Barbara Furlow-Smiles, recently made headlines after being sentenced to five years and three months in prison for stealing more than $5 million from the companies. This money was meant for DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives, making the case even more troubling.
Furlow-Smiles, a 38-year-old Georgia resident, utilized a sophisticated scheme involving fraudulent vendors, fake invoices, and cash kickbacks to steal more than $4.9 million from Facebook. Even after being terminated from Facebook, she continued her fraudulent activities at Nike, where she managed to steal another six-figure sum from their diversity program.
Instead of using the stolen money for legitimate purposes, Furlow-Smiles used it to fund a luxury lifestyle across California, Georgia, and Oregon. This highlights the sheer audacity and selfishness of her actions, betraying the trust of both companies and their employees.
At Facebook, Furlow-Smiles linked PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App accounts to her credit cards and used them to pay friends, relatives, and others for goods and services that were never delivered. The majority of this money was then kicked back to her, allowing her to sustain her extravagant lifestyle.
The consequences of Furlow-Smiles’ actions go beyond financial losses. Meta, Facebook’s parent company, revealed that they lost more than $4.5 million in addition to incurring other expenses such as attorney’s fees due to uncovering and investigating the fraud scheme. Moreover, the criminal conduct of Furlow-Smiles caused anguish among the employees who worked closely with her.
Furlow-Smiles was sentenced to five years and three months in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $4.98 million to Facebook and $121,000 to Nike. Additionally, she must report to prison by July 22, highlighting the seriousness of her crimes and the need for accountability.
Both Meta and Nike expressed deep disappointment and betrayal by Furlow-Smiles’ actions. Nike, in particular, emphasized that she violated their trust and the values of the company, causing devastation among employees who worked with her. Her lack of accountability and remorse only added to the gravity of the situation.
The case of Barbara Furlow-Smiles serves as a cautionary tale of the consequences of greed, deception, and betrayal of trust. It underscores the need for robust mechanisms to prevent and detect such fraudulent schemes within organizations. Ultimately, Furlow-Smiles’ actions not only resulted in significant financial losses but also shook the foundations of trust and integrity within the companies she once worked for.
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