As most people in South Carolina know, positions involving the handling of large sums of money come with a significant amount of responsibility. A mistake can be extremely costly for the organization involved and can even bring you under suspicion. Not only could you be removed from your position, but you might even find yourself facing serious criminal charges and the prospect of life-changing penalties.

One woman in South Carolina is facing this very reality, after being accused of defrauding her sorority at the University of Alabama for a sum of almost $400,000. It has been reported that the woman, now 38, had been allotted the task of furnishing the sorority’s new house, Gamma Phi Beta. However, despite allegedly receiving payment for a number of invoices, the woman is said not to have provided the house with any of the supposed purchases.

The charges against her include money laundering and wire fraud, as well as further charges of bank fraud relating to another alleged scheme. She faces a total of eight counts and if convicted, the penalties may include fines of as much as $250,000 and a prison sentence of up to 30 years. Furthermore, the case could permanently damage her reputation and affect her future career.

Charges like this can seriously impact your future, yet all too many successful individuals in South Carolina are brought low by such accusations. If you have been implicated in a white collar crime, you may find the support of an attorney to be extremely helpful. He or she can weigh up the details of your case and may be able to assist you with ensuring that your side of the story is heard by the court.

Source: AL, “U.S. Attorney: Alabama graduate stole nearly $400,000 defrauding sorority house financier,” Stephen Dethrage, June 29, 2015