A Gardnerville woman is going to federal prison for 12 years and five months after embezzling $1.4 million from a South Lake Tahoe construction company.
Kami Elois Power, 55, was convicted following a six-day trial in November 2025. A federal jury found her guilty of 11 counts of wire fraud, three counts of bank fraud, and three counts of aggravated identity theft, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors said Power’s scheme spanned from November 2019 to May 2023, while she worked as an office manager and controller for a family-owned construction company. During that time, she disguised more than $700,000 in fraudulent transfers as payments to vendors by creating fake profiles in the names of legitimate companies.
Court documents show Power also created sham businesses bearing her initials, including “KEP Inc. Sale” and “KPI,” and used them to funnel additional funds, as payroll payments or reimbursements. In addition, Power used the company’s credit card to make unauthorized personal purchases, pay down her own credit card balances by writing fraudulent checks, according to evidence presented at trial.
Authorities said the stolen money funded a lavish lifestyle, including the purchase of two homes and a horse, all of which are forfeit as part of her sentence. She also spent the funds on vehicles, ATVs, field-level football game seats, and a $29,000 vacation to Hawaii.
Power has a history of similar crimes. According to court documents, this marked her fifth time embezzling from an employer. Her prior conduct resulted in two criminal convictions, a civil lawsuit, and a probation violation.
As part of her sentence, Power has to pay $1.4 million in restitution.
The Old Blog in the Desert 
Leave a comment