Greer Couple Sentenced on Embezzlement, Fraud Charges

A Greer couple has been sentenced in federal court on charges they embezzled from a Greenville business and used the money to fuel a lavish lifestyle.

James "Dean" Tucker, 54, and Julie Greene Tucker, 52, of Greer, pleaded guilty in November 2012, to two counts of filing false tax returns. Julie Tucker also pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, said U.S. Attorney Anne M. Tompkins.

Julie Tucker was sentenced last week to 33 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Meanwhile, Dean Tucker was sentenced to eight months of house arrest and five years of probation.

“For approximately 15 months the Tuckers used stolen money to fund a luxurious lifestyle way above their means,” Tompkins said in a news release.

Court documents showed Julie Tucker embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from her Greenville employer, Trendset, Inc., with her and her husband using the money for such extravagances as country club memberships,  jewelry, homes, vacations, and luxury vehicles.

The couple also failed to report taxable income derived from the embezzlement on their 2010 and 2011 tax returns, court records showed.

Dean Tucker, who worked for Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the time of the crimes, lied to ICE co-workers who questioned his newfound wealth. Tucker sometimes said the couple got the money from his father after a profitable stock sale. "Other times, he would say his wife had received a big promotion at Trendset and that she was making a lot more money than he was," said a WYFF report.

In addition to their sentences, the Tuckers were also ordered to pay $191,049 restitution to IRS. Julie Tucker was ordered to pay an additional $590,128 as restitution to her former employer.

Read more here.