{"id":174994,"date":"2017-11-24T16:58:19","date_gmt":"2017-11-24T21:58:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.liveaction.org\/news\/?p=174994"},"modified":"2017-11-25T11:54:36","modified_gmt":"2017-11-25T16:54:36","slug":"planned-parenthood-staffer-now-fired-charged-felony-embezzlement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.liveaction.org\/news\/planned-parenthood-staffer-now-fired-charged-felony-embezzlement\/","title":{"rendered":"Planned Parenthood staffer charged with felony embezzlement"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>

A fired Planned Parenthood staffer has been charged with felony embezzlement in Oklahoma County District Court, according to a local media outlet. Kelly Lee Smith<\/a>, 38, worked at Planned Parenthood’s first facility in the state to offer abortions, located in Warr Acres. A report published<\/a> by Newsok.com said the abortion staffer was arrested<\/a> October 11, 2017, after she allegedly used a Planned Parenthood credit card to buy lingerie, hotel rooms, amusement park attractions, and a cruise.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Mugshot: Planned Parenthood staffer Kelly Lee Smith<\/p><\/div>\n

Authorities allege that between May and August of 2017, Smith fraudulently charged over $23,000 across nine states and Mexico. According to NewsOk.com<\/a>, Planned Parenthood fired\u00a0Smith on August 28. The paper reported that additional unauthorized credit card charges by Smith included clothing, pet supplies, beauty products, waxing services, electronics, pedicures, home decor, child care, and fast food, according to the affidavit.<\/p>\n

Police reported Smith embezzled an additional $2,424 in cash that was supposed to be deposited into the Planned Parenthood bank account, the paper added.<\/p>\n

Smith is not the first Planned Parenthood staffer to be accused of theft.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Planned Parenthood staffer Melissa Kwoka sentenced (image: The Buffalo News)<\/p><\/div>\n

In July of 2013, a\u00a0Planned Parenthood\u00a0employee who worked as the organization’s accountant pled guilty<\/a> to second-degree grand larceny after stealing over $100,000 from the organization.\u00a0 WIVP reported at the time, that between August 2012 and March 2013, 44-year-old\u00a0Melissa Kwoka<\/a> forged checks from\u00a0Planned Parenthood of Western New York\u00a0to herself and her husband, according to a criminal accusation by the Erie County District Attorney\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Planned Parenthood employee forged checks<\/p><\/div>\n

According to the Buffalo News<\/a>,\u00a0Kwoka was originally sentenced to six years in jail and five years probation on the contingency that she repay $102,733 to the abortion corporation. The paper reports<\/a> that, “The judge ordered her to make monthly payments for 10 years of $647.78 to Planned Parenthood to cover $77,733 of the stolen amount. The judge also ordered $208.33 monthly payments to M&T Bank, where the checks were drawn, to cover $25,000 the bank paid Planned Parenthood for failing to catch a portion of the thefts.”<\/p>\n

However, after failing to abide by the terms and pay the stolen funds back, in June of 2015,\u00a0Kwoka<\/a> was sentenced to three years in prison.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Melissa Kwoka sentenced<\/p><\/div>\n

Why this thief was hired by Planned Parenthood, which receives over half a billion dollars from the taxpayer each year, is a mystery to begin with. Live Action News previously reported<\/a> that Kwoka had three\u00a0previous convictions for theft offenses before her employment with the abortion business. In addition, Kwoka was accused of\u00a0stealing over five hundred dollars from a friend\u2019s bank account while on bail after her embezzlement conviction.<\/p>\n

\"\"

David Nova<\/p><\/div>\n

In 2011, a Planned Parenthood\u00a0executive<\/a> in Virginia was jailed on charges he stole<\/a> wine from a Roanoke county store.\u00a0David Nova<\/a>, vice president of\u00a0Planned Parenthood Health Systems in Roanoke, was charged with three counts of petty larceny. According to Roanoke.com, which reported the story at the time, “The charges stem from bottles of wine Nova took through a self-checkout line at the Cave Spring Kroger. The incidents occurred on two separate dates in January, according to online court records.”<\/p>\n

Nova is known<\/a> for defending Planned Parenthood after Live Action\u00a0undercover investigations<\/a>\u00a0revealed Planned Parenthood staffers helping an actor posing as a pimp obtain abortions for minor girls. (Video below)<\/p>\n

\u00a0