Coach, Tiffany & Co., gambling and more — that’s where federal prosecutors believe $80,000 in government money ended up after allegedly being stolen by a Department of Veteran Affairs employee.
Zerry Feaster, also known as Zerry Travis and Zerry West, has been charged with seven counts of theft of government funds and five counts of false statements, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Thursday.
“This defendant is charged with abusing her position with the VA by repeatedly using her government credit card to steal over $80,000,” U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said in a news release. “Money intended to support the men and women who have served our country was instead used by the defendant for gambling and at luxury stores.”
Feaster, 45, of Ellenwood, worked as a secretary in the Police Services division at the VA Medical Center in Atlanta, authorities said. Her government-issued credit card was meant to be used for office supplies and other equipment, but prosecutors say she used it to buy gift cards, which were then used for luxury personal items and gambling.
She then allegedly tried to hide the gift card purchases by submitting fictitious purchase orders for office equipment and supplies to the VA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Feaster was indicted Tuesday and has been arraigned.
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