White Collar Defendant Convicted of Embezzlement Scheme

Tiffany Silver entered a guilty plea to stealing $750,000 from Deborah Curlee Communication Consultants, Inc. on January 26, 2021.

Under the terms of the agreement Tiffany Silver received a twenty-year sentence where she will serve one year and then be placed on probation for twenty years. She received a ten-year sentence for Theft of Property over $60,000 but under $250,000 and a separate consecutive sentence of ten-years for Forgery over $60,000 but under $250,000. She will have to make regular restitution payments to the victim of the theft.

Deborah Curlee Communication Consultants, Inc., provided speech and language therapy to early intervention, preschool, and school-aged children in rural East Tennessee. Tiffany Silver worked as an office manager for the company for over 16 years prior to the discovery of her thefts. Silver committed this offense between January 1, 2011, and January 24, 2018, during which time she stole over $750,000 from the company. Silver would forge checks payable on the company’s accounts and divert the money to herself. Silver concealed these thefts by making false entries into the bookkeeping records of the company which she maintained. Silver’s actions were discovered during a routine audit of the business.

Deborah Curlee, the owner of the business, expressed emotions of deep hurt and betrayal that a long-time trusted employee of the business could commit such an act. Silver has already begun service of her sentence.

If you have any questions, please contact Sean McDermott at 865-215-2515 or Sean.McDermott@knoxcounty.org. For more information about the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website at dag.knoxcountytn.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.