A woman who previously worked as a diversity manager at Facebook and Nike has been sentenced to five years and three months in prison for embezzling over $5 million from the companies meant for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Barbara Furlow-Smiles, a 38-year-old from Georgia, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in December after being accused of stealing millions from Facebook and additional funds from Nike. She used a scheme involving fake vendors, invoices, and kickbacks to steal the money from Facebook, where she held a prominent position.
Furlow-Smiles started the scheme shortly after joining Facebook in 2017, connecting her credit cards to PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App accounts to pay acquaintances for non-existent goods and services. Most of the money was funneled back to her. Even after being fired from Facebook in 2021, she continued her fraudulent activities at Nike until 2023.
The stolen funds were used to support a lavish lifestyle in various states. In addition to the prison term, she was ordered to pay restitution to Facebook and Nike. Both companies expressed disappointment and highlighted the impact of her actions on employees who had interacted with her closely.
Facebook’s parent company, Meta, assisted in the investigation and emphasized that the harm caused by Furlow-Smiles extended beyond financial losses. Meanwhile, Nike condemned her breach of trust and lack of accountability. For more information, visit the CNBC link in the article.
