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SALT LAKE CITY — The former senior accountant of a Salt Lake-based research group has been charged with stealing $1.3 million from the company to pay for vacations, cars and personal bills.
Daniel Scott Richardson, 36, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with 10 counts of theft and engaging in a pattern of unlawful activity, all second-degree felonies.
Richardson was hired in 2012 as an accountant for Pegus Research Inc., a Salt Lake company that "specializes in epidemiology, survey, observational and pharmacy-based research," according to charging documents.
From about April 2013 through December 2016, prosecutors say Richardson made "180 unauthorized transactions totaling just under $1.3 million."
Some of the items Richardson purchased using his company's money included a Hawaiian vacation; two Lincoln SUVs for more than $50,000; hotel stays; groceries; tens of thousands of dollars of airline tickets from Delta, including trips to London, Amsterdam and Australia; European hotel stays; $10,000 at Pottery Barn; and thousands of dollars of purchases from Apple and Amazon, the charges state.
The fraud was discovered by the person who took Richardson's position after Richardson was promoted to senior accountant, according to the charges. He was fired on Dec. 5, 2016.
According to court documents, Richardson "recently obtained employment in Oregon as a flight instructor," and it was unknown if he still maintains a residence in Utah.
