A Eugene woman pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and tax evasion after stealing more than $4.5 million from her former employer, Weyerhaeuser, the timber company she worked at for more than 40 years.
According to court documents, Susan Tranberg, 61, defrauded Weyerhaeuser by submitting fraudulent invoices between June 2004 and January 2019 to a fake account that she created.
Tranberg created a fake timber contract between Weyerhaeuser and her mother, Margaret Miller, who was unaware of the scheme, according to court documents. She also forged coworkers’ signatures on check requests, and used their credentials to create requests and approve fraudulent payments.
Tranberg held various positions in the company’s accounting and finance department during her time with Weyerhaeuser.
“Susan Tranberg used her intimate knowledge of the Weyerhaeuser Company to perpetrate a lengthy and complex fraud. She went to great lengths to disguise her actions and mislead her colleagues,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
U.S. Attorney for Oregon Billy J. Williams speaks at a press conference in Portland, Ore., Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019.
Conrad Wilson / OPB
“Her crimes reflect a complete disdain for her employer and utter contempt for her responsibilities as an American taxpayer.”
Williams charged Tranberg back in October.
Tranberg faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. She also faces a conviction for aggravated identity theft that carries a two-year mandatory minimum sentence.
As part of her plea deal, Tranberg has agreed to pay more than $4.5 million in restitution to Weyerhaeuser and more than $800,000 in restitution to the IRS.
