Wexford Baierl Acura Employee Pleads Guilty To $10M Fraud

PITTSBURGH,None — A controller at a Wexford car dealer pleaded guilty Tuesday to embezzling more than $10 million from the business.

Patricia K. Smith, of Cranberry Township, transferred money from Baierl Acura into her own account more than 800 times, a federal prosecutor said in a statement.

Smith, 57, also used the money to fund an extravagant lifestyle, including $1.8 million billed to American Express for private jet charters; travel to seven countries in Europe and four islands in the Caribbean; $44,500 for four club level tickets and full hospitality at Super Bowl XLV; and $32,500 for a six-person lunch prepared by Food Network star Ina Garten at her barn in East Hampton, N.Y., the statement said.

Smith also spent $5,000 for a visit to the Vatican that included Mass with VIP seating, a tour of the Vatican Museum with a private guide, and a private tour of the Sistine Chapel with her family.

Smith's sentencing is scheduled for early May.

Authorities are seeking the forfeiture of numerous items that Smith bought, including three homes in Pennsylvania and one in Georgia, 10 vehicles, stocks, jewelry, gold coins, a mink coat and a baby grand piano.

"This is an unfortunate case of an extraordinary fraud perpetrated on a well-respected local business," U.S. Attorney David Hickton said. "The only explanation appears to be simple greed."

Authorities said Smith covered up the fraud by fudging bank and car inventory records, which she allegedly provided to accountants that audited the dealership's books.

Baierl officials issued a statement last month saying that a portion of the money has already been recovered and that the financial loss will have "no impact" on the dealership's operations.

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