Henderson County CPA has license permanently revoked

From the Hendersonville Times-News:

A certified public accountant from Henderson County has had his CPA licensed permanently revoked in the wake of an embezzlement investigation by the N.C. Board of Certified Public Accountant Examiners.

Richard Neal Booker, of Fletcher, lost his license after it was discovered that he embezzled $164,019 while employed as a CPA for a local company, said Robert N. Brooks, executive director of the board.

Booker was employed from July 2007 through December 2008 by a group of five companies as the CPA responsible for the financial operations of the companies, stated a report in the “Activity Review,” a publication of the board.

“During the period of his employment, respondent embezzled funds under his control and care from the companies. When confronted by his employer, respondent admitted, under oath, that he had ‘mishandled’ funds and agreed to pay $75,000 in restitution. A subsequent review performed by an independent CPA firm determined that respondent had fraudulently taken at least $164,019,” the state CPAE Disciplinary Action report stated.

Brooks declined to name the company where Booker was employed at the time of the incident. The name of the company was not disclosed in the activity report. Attempts to reach Booker Friday were unsuccessful.