A man accused of embezzling $1.4 million from his Palm City employer to buy a house, a boat, cars and more was sentenced to 20 years in prison, Martin County court records show.
James M. Bradley, 60, of Port St. Lucie, on April 2 was sentenced in Circuit Judge Elizabeth Metzger’s court after pleading no contest to a single count of first-degree grand theft, records show.
He also was ordered to pay nearly $1.2 million in restitution to UCT Coatings Inc. in Palm City, according to an order.
Additional charges against Bradley, most related to money laundering, either were dropped or not prosecuted.
Court filings from 2023 show Bradley also was accused of using his position as chief financial officer at UCT Coatings, Inc., to steal cash in part to repay $59,000 he embezzled in 2018 as the controller for Joy Communications, in Stuart.
Martin County sheriff’s investigators reported that as CFO, Bradley wrote checks to himself, made cash withdrawals and wire transfers to shift company funds into bank accounts he controlled.
According to a 15-page criminal complaint, Bradley began illegally diverting money from UCT Coatings in May 2021, two months after he was hired.
Financial records tied to Bradley’s fraudulent activity show “multiple purchases to airlines, airports, retail establishments and restaurants located in other cities, states, and countries,” investigators stated.
Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on X @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Long prison sentence in Florida embezzlement case
Reporting by Will Greenlee, Treasure Coast Newspapers / Treasure Coast Newspapers
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