“Furlow-Smiles shamelessly violated her position of trust as a DEI executive at Facebook to steal millions from the company utilizing a scheme involving fraudulent vendors, fake invoices, and cash kickbacks,” U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan said in a statement.
From January 2017 until her September 2021 ousting, Furlow-Smiles spearheaded DEI programs at Facebook. Her responsibilities encompassed crafting and implementing DEI initiatives, operations, and engagement endeavors. Prosecutors contend she perpetrated fraud by covertly diverting company funds to her personal PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App accounts, which she employed to remunerate acquaintances, family members, former interns, childcare providers, a stylist, and others for services never rendered to Facebook.
Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office, denounced Furlow-Smiles’ greed, saying, “She not only threw away a lucrative career but will serve time behind bars for her excessive greed.”The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia announced Furlow-Smiles has been ordered to serve five years and three months behind bars. Additionally, she must pay restitution of $4,981,783.58 to Meta-owned Facebook and $121,054.50 to Nike. Through these accounts, she paid friends, relatives, former interns, nannies, babysitters, a hairstylist, and others for goods and services never provided to Facebook.
