Mass. woman gets time in federal prison for embezzling more than $400K from employer

BOSTON — The former office manager for a Franklin environmental services business has been sentenced to federal prison for embezzling more than $400,000 from her employer, the U.S. Attorney said Friday.

Marie Hobson, 55, of Attleboro, was sentenced to 18 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a statement. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise Casper handed down her sentence.

Hobson was also ordered to pay restitution of $511,119 and to forfeit $429,980.

In October 2025, Hobson pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return.

Between December 2019 and March 2025, prosecutors said Hobson inflated her own payroll by adding approximately $268,046 in phony expense reimbursements, such as uniform costs, even though Hobson did not wear a uniform in her position.

To conceal the thefts, prosecutors said Hobson manipulated her employer’s accounting software to make it appear she was only receiving her weekly salary.

Prosecutors said Hobson also misused her company-issued credit card to pay for country club memberships, vacations, cruises, timeshares and personal residence costs totaling more than $105,000.

To further conceal her scheme, Hobson failed to report the funds that she embezzled on her federal income tax filings for tax years 2021 through 2024, resulting in a tax loss to the government of approximately $81,000, prosecutors said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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