3 Ex-Federal Workers Sentenced for Fraud

Three former federal government employees have been sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay a $31,256 fine for conspiring to defraud a Woodland Hills credit card processing firm, officials said.

Wanda McClain, 31, a former U.S. Department of Defense employee, Carolyn Deruso, 60, who is on administrative leave from the Department of Defense, and her daughter Lelani Deruso, 31, a former U.S. Department of Treasury employee, pleaded guilty to fraud charges in Feb. 18, investigators said.

In addition, McClain must serve 10 days in jail and perform 300 hours of community service. The Derusos were ordered to serve 90 days and do 500 hours of community service.

The three women were arrested in December for the scheme to steal money from Superior Bank Card Services, a company that processes point-of-sale credit card transactions for retail merchants and issues verification numbers authorizing a sale.

Investigators said Carolyn Deruso recruited McClain to divert money from the credit card company into her bank account. Deruso later recruited her daughter, Lelani, and attempted to use her account to redirect $28,000 from the company.

To report fraud call the Department of Defense hotline at (800) 424-9098.