A former Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office employee has admitted to taking part in a massive fraud and embezzlement scheme that cost victims nearly $3 million.
Forty-eight-year-old Lisa Lee French of Martinsburg pleaded guilty to a scheme that stretched from 2007 through October 2024. Prosecutors say she stole cash payments collected by the Sheriff’s Office and manipulated conservatorship and estate accounts belonging to vulnerable individuals.
Court documents reveal more than 700 fraudulent transactions, including over 550 forged checks involving at least 59 conservator bank accounts. French admitted forging signatures, misusing the sheriff’s signature stamp, and diverting money for herself.
The victims include Berkeley County taxpayers, individuals under conservatorship, and the Sheriff’s Office. French has agreed to pay nearly $2.74 million in restitution. A second defendant, Barbara Gail Gooden, is scheduled to stand trial March 23rd, 2027.
By: Dianah Gibson
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