Criminal Justice
Tennessee Legal Assistant Accused of Using Embezzled Cash to Fund Gastric Bypass
A legal assistant accused of funding gastric bypass surgery with money stolen from her Tennessee law firm has reportedly reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors.
Melisa Rebecca Thacker is accused of spending $3,000 on the surgery out of $180,000 she allegedly embezzled, the Knoxville News Sentinel reports. According to the plea agreement (PDF) obtained by the newspaper, she is ready to plead guilty to mail fraud.
Thacker worked for the law firm of Tammy Kaousias in Knoxville. Thacker is accused of using forged checks and Kaousias’ credit card accounts to steal the money over a three-year period.
