Minnesota Woman Sentenced for Embezzling $2.7 Million to Feed Gambling Addiction

Case Overview

Destiny McKayla Combs, a resident of Minnesota, has been sentenced to 51 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release after authorities uncovered her involvement in a significant embezzlement case. The investigation, conducted by multiple government agencies, revealed that Combs misappropriated funds from her workplace to cover her gambling debts.

Scale of the Crime

Combs siphoned over $2.7 million from the businesses where she was employed. Nearly all of these funds were lost due to her gambling activities. She worked as the Accounting Manager for both a surrogacy agency and a connected law firm, managing their finances for approximately nine years.

Background and Betrayal of Trust

The owner of the surrogacy agency had planned to retire in 2022 and agreed to sell the business to Combs, highlighting the level of trust she had earned within the management team. However, before the sale was finalized, Combs resigned and relocated to Florida.

Details of the Fraud

Between 2019 and 2023, Combs used her position to fraudulently divert company funds to pay her personal gambling debts. Although she initially used her own credit card for online gambling, she then manipulated the companies’ financial records to disguise the payments of her credit card bills as legitimate business expenses. This deceitful activity resulted in payments exceeding $2.7 million to her American Express card.

Violation of Court Orders and Sentencing Impact

While awaiting trial and under probation, Combs disregarded court-imposed travel restrictions by visiting multiple cities, including New York City, Tucson, Miami, Seattle, and several trips to Las Vegas. During sentencing, Judge John M. Gerrard expressed concern over her noncompliance with the travel bans, stating that it would influence the severity of her sentence.