WASHINGTON — This story was originally published on mynorthwest.com.
A man who worked for the state of Washington pleaded guilty earlier this week to a scheme involving the theft of state tax dollars.
Matthew Ping admitted to wire fraud and making and subscribing a false tax return, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
Ping started working for the Washington State Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) in 2009, the attorney’s office stated. By 2017, he was promoted to the position of management analyst.
Former state worker’s scheme ran several years
Ping’s scheme ran from 2019 to 2023, where he used his credit card access to embezzle at least $878,115 from the OAH.
To evade detection, Ping submitted false or incomplete transaction lists. He also approved his own transactions and manipulated the accounting data to conceal them.
Ping was able to conduct 210 transactions before he was discovered by the Washington State Auditor’s Office. He subsequently resigned from his job in 2023.
Ping’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 9.
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