Jewish Temple’s Former Accounting Manager Sentenced to Prison for Stealing from Temple

Temple Emanu-el

BIRMINGHAM—A federal judge recently sentenced the former Temple Emanu-el accounting manager to six months in prison and six months in home detention for stealing from his employer, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Posey and FBI Special Agent in Charge Roger C. Stanton.

U.S. District Court Judge Abdul Kallon sentenced CHARLES M. COLLINS, 66, of Moody, on one count of wire fraud as part of Collins’ scheme to steal from the Birmingham temple. The judge ordered Collins to pay the Temple $80,545 in restitution for the $41,098 that he stole, plus the cost of a forensic audit to determine the embezzlement amount. Collins pleaded guilty to the fraud in September. He must report to prison Feb. 16.

Collins worked as the accounting manager for Temple Emanu-el from June 2008 to November 2013, when his scheme was discovered. In his plea agreement with prosecutors, he admitted that he took advantage of his position to send unauthorized wire transfers from a local bank into his own personal bank accounts. Collins agreed to forfeit $41,098 to the government as proceeds of illegal activity.

The FBI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Xavier O. Carter Sr. prosecuted.