DES MOINES — Kathy Joan Cullen, 67, of Cumberland was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for filing a false tax return Oct. 1, said United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt.
Cullen was also ordered to serve one year of supervised release following her term of incarceration.
Cullen had previously pleaded guilty to the charge. According to the plea agreement, Cullen embezzled money from her employer, 21st Century Cooperative. Cullen wrote more than $1.3 million in checks to herself over a period of six years and deposited the proceeds into a personal bank account.
Cullen was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,384,374.24 to 21st Century Cooperative, $422,411.35 to Internal Revenue Service and $131,040.64 to the state of Iowa.
The sentence was imposed by Chief Judge John A. Jarvey. The case was investigated by Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Internal Revenue Service — Criminal Investigations, and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.