A Vermont woman was sentenced Monday in federal court for embezzling approximately $223,000 from The Dartmouth, the student newspaper at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.

Nicole Chambers, 41, received a 15-month prison sentence and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud on April 30, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young said in a statement.

"The Dartmouth, a non-profit student newspaper, entrusted the defendant with their finances, and she betrayed that trust by embezzling more than $223,000 over the course of four-and-a-half years," Young said. "This was a crime motivated by the defendant's greed, plain and simple. The defendant stole to fund her high lifestyle, including trips across the United States and Caribbean and purchasing luxury items. The consequence of crimes like this is federal prison."

Chambers served as the office manager for The Dartmouth from 2012 to 2021, gaining full access to its finances, including bank, PayPal and Venmo accounts. Between April 2017 and September 2021, she made unauthorized transfers to her accounts and used the newspaper's funds for personal expenses like travel and luxury items, including a memory foam mattress and bedframe, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Notably, she also diverted $1,900 for fees related to her husband's court case.

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