Woman stole $400K, including donation to St. Jude’s Hospital, Georgia officials say
A resident’s dying wish included a donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, but investigators said the money landed in the executor’s pocket instead.
Now a north Georgia woman is headed to jail.
Rhonda Sheppard, 54, of Dahlonega was arrested and charged with theft by taking after authorities said she stole more than $400,000 in donations for her own personal use, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
The agency launched an investigation this summer at the request of Lumpkin County Sheriff Stacy Jarrard, who was tipped off by a citizen about the terms of a resident’s will that went unfulfilled by Sheppard, the executor, investigators wrote in a news release. One of the terms involved a donation to Memphis-based St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
In their investigation, the GBI learned Sheppard had stolen over $400,000, including money intended for the hospital and national nonprofit.
The GBI is still investigating and said Sheppard could face additional charges.
Dahlonega is about 65 miles northeast of Atlanta.