CAUGHT:
Facebook Former Diversity Manager, BARBARA FURLOW-SMILES pleads GUILTY to over $4million Fraud, Lavishes Fund on Extravagant Lifestyle
…’We fully cooperated with investigators’, says Meta, parent company of Facebook
*Caused Facebook to pay people for goods and services that were never provided to the company and then had those individuals pay her kickbacks
*“Furlow-Smiles had abused her position of trust at Facebook to defraud the company of millions of dollars, ignoring the insidious consequences of undermining the importance of her DEI mission. She used other individuals including friends, relatives, former interns from a prior job, nannies and babysitters, a hair stylist, and her university tutor to defraud Facebook”- U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan
*BY GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU/AMERICA Senior Investigative Editor
Barbara Furlow-Smiles was a former Program Manager in charge of Facebook Diversity, Equity and Inclusion from 2017 through mid-2021, until she stole over $4million at various times through an elaborate scheme to fund her lavish, extravagant lifestyle. She was caught, arrested and being prosecuted for her crimes.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, cooperated with the investigation, U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta said.
This ex- global diversity strategist at Facebook pleaded guilty to wire fraud after stealing more than $4 million from the social media giant “to fund a lavish lifestyle” in California and Georgia, federal prosecutors said.
Smiles, who led various Facebook Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs from 2017 through mid-2021, stole the money “through an elaborate scheme involving fraudulent vendors, fictitious charges, and cash kickbacks,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta said in a statement.
Furlow-Smiles, who pled guilty in Atlanta federal court on Monday, was not the top DEI leader for Facebook, whose parent company is Meta.
Among other things, prosecutors said Furlow-Smiles, 38, caused Facebook to pay people for goods and services that were never actually provided to the company and then had those individuals pay her kickbacks.
“These individuals included friends, relatives, former interns from a prior job, nannies and babysitters, a hair stylist, and her university tutor,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
In some instances, Furlow-Smiles had Facebook pay people who did not give her kickbacks, in one case directing $10,000 to an artist for specialty portraits, and more than $18,000 to a preschool for tuition, prosecutors said.
As part of the scheme, Furlow-Smiles linked PayPal, Venmo and Cash App accounts to her Facebook credit cards and used those accounts to pay friends, relatives and other associates for goods and services purportedly provided to Facebook.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan, in a statement, said Furlow-Smiles had abused her position of trust at Facebook to “defraud the company of millions of dollars, ignoring the insidious consequences of undermining the importance of her DEI mission.”
Meta provided assistance and cooperation with the criminal investigation, prosecutors said.
Furlow-Smiles, who lives in Atlanta, is scheduled to be sentenced March 19. She is free on a $5,000 bond.
A spokesperson for Meta, in a statement to CNBC, said, “We are cooperating with law enforcement on the case regarding this former program manager, and we will continue to do so.”
Lance Clarke, a lawyer for Furlow-Smiles, did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
SUPPORT OUR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS & JOURNALISM:
CERTAINLY, Good journalism costs a lot of money. Without doubt, only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government. We are ready to hold every corrupt government accountable to the citizens. To continually enjoy free access to the best investigative journalism in Nigeria, we are requesting of you to consider making a modest support to this noble endeavor.”
By contributing to NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER, you are helping to sustain a journalism of relevance and ensuring it remains free and available to all without fear or favor.
Your donation is voluntary — please decide how much and how often you want to give. For offline donation, email: letters@nigeriastandardnewspaper.com or call +2348037128048 (Nigeria) or +16825834890 (United States of America)
