Former Facebook Employee Admits to Embezzling $4 Million

Barbara Furlow-Smiles was in attendance at the 2020 Sisters' Awards held at the Skirball Cultural Center on March 8, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images)

Robin L Marshall/Getty Images

An Atlanta woman pleaded guilty to stealing more than $4 million from Facebook while she was an executive at the company.

Barbara Furlow-Smiles, a former lead strategist at Meta (formerly known as Facebook, Inc.) from January 2017 to September 2021, is accused of defrauding the company of millions of dollars. U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan stated that she abused her position as a global diversity executive, undermining the importance of her mission.

The US Attorney stated that Furlow-Smiles misused her Facebook expense account to support a lavish lifestyle in California and Georgia. She allegedly used the funds to cover a range of personal expenses, including payments to hair stylists, babysitters, and $18,000 in tuition fees for a preschool.

Furlow-Smiles' plan involved connecting her company credit cards to PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App, and then using these cards to make payments for services that were never actually provided, as per Buchanan. The individuals who received these payments, including friends, relatives, and associates, would then give some of the money back to Furlow-Smiles as a kickback, as stated by Buchanan's Office.

Investigators have reported that Furlow-Smiles would generate exaggerated invoices to compensate vendors, who would then kick back a portion of the payment to her. Buchanan further emphasizes, "She even roped in family members, friends, and other acquaintances in her illegal activities, all to finance a luxurious lifestyle through deceit rather than honest labor."

Sentencing for Barbara Furlow-Smiles is scheduled for March 19, 2024.