Sewickley woman sentenced to more than 5 years in federal prison for wire fraud, false income tax returns

A Sewickley woman who pleaded guilty to embezzling about $8.7 million from her employer has been sentenced in federal court to five years and four months in prison for wire fraud and filing false income tax returns.

Authorities said Sue O’Neill, 55, stole millions starting in 2009 from Marco Contractors of Warrendale while working as the company’s controller.

O’Neill pleaded guilty to the crimes Nov. 13, 2019.

Prosecutors said O’Neill used about $6.7 million in stolen money to fund Bulldog Contractors LLC, a business she and another person started, and $2 million went into her personal bank account. They also bought real estate and construction equipment.

Authorities said O’Neill and her business partner bought two 1969 Ford Shelby GT500s for about $160,000 each and spent another $163,000 renovating a 1969 Ford Mustang. O’Neill further spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on jewelry and a country club membership.

The business partner was not named in a press release from the federal prosecutors office in Pittsburgh.

O’Neill was ordered to pay about $9.225 million in restitution including $428,000 to the IRS and the rest to Marco Contractors, federal documents say.

U.S. District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose imposed the sentence Thursday.

Authorities said O’Neill filed false income tax returns because she did not declare the stolen funds as taxable income.

The IRS, FBI, Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office, the Northern Regional Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service participated in the investigation.