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The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) Financial Crimes Unit successfully concluded a large embezzlement case in Onslow County last week.

According to court records, on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, Karen Pierce Ramos pleaded guilty in Onslow County Superior Court to 3 counts of Class C Felony Embezzlement and three counts of Class H Felony Embezzlement. Superior Court Judge Robert Roupe sentenced Ms. Ramos to 90-120 months in prison and ordered her to pay restitution to the victims totaling $1,661,955.73. Ms. Ramos was given credit for $500,000 for property that she turned over to the victims at the beginning of the investigation. Financial Crimes Resource Prosecutor Janelle Cline handled the case for the N.C. Conference of District Attorneys.

The plea details showed that in November 2022, Ms. Ramos was arrested and charged with five counts of Class H Felony Embezzlement and five counts of Class C Felony Embezzlement. Ms. Ramos was the bookkeeper and finance manager for six different businesses: New Century Homes of Jacksonville, Inc.; Carolina South Builders, Inc.; Clayhill Farms, Inc.; Green Recycling Solutions, LLC; Carolina East Properties, LLC; and M&M Land Development, Inc. In that capacity, Ms. Ramos embezzled $2,161,955.73 from the businesses between 2011 and 2018. As part of the plea, Ms. Ramos admitted taking the funds using several company credit cards for personal purchases. She also diverted company funds to a personal bank account. Ms. Ramos is currently housed in the North Carolina Prison System serving her sentence.