St. Albans Woman Sentenced for Embezzlement

The former office manager of a legal aid clinic in Charleston has been sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for embezzling more than $1.5 million over 12 years. Fifty-five-year-old Kim Cooper of St. Albans was sentenced in federal court in Charleston for her guilty plea to wire fraud and tax evasion. Cooper oversaw daily operations at the Mountain State Justice office, including bank deposits. The nonprofit provides civil legal services to low-income West Virginians. Prosecutors say Cooper admitted secretly establishing a separate bank account in the nonprofit’s name, deposited checks for attorneys’ fees, then moved money to a private bank account for personal use starting in 2004. She used the funds to pay rent, make car and credit card payments and for other personal expenses.