A Cabell County man has been sentenced to federal prison after admitting to embezzling more than $600,000 while working for a local law firm.
According to court records, 58-year-old Todd Chapman of Huntington was sentenced to 51 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to bank fraud.
Records show Chapman worked for the now-defunct Tyson & Tyson Law Firm for 30 years. As office manager, he became the sole account holder for the firm’s accounts in 2015 and used that authority to divert money into his personal accounts.
Court documents state that guardian and trust estate clients were defrauded. Chapman also admitted to stealing funds the firm received from the Small Business Administration during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prosecutors said that from 2016 to 2022, Chapman concealed his financial misconduct by creating false documents, including forged checks and employment contracts. He also made false statements under oath in civil lawsuits filed by former clients and misled federal law enforcement authorities.
In addition to his prison sentence and supervised release, Chapman has been ordered to pay $602,362.97 in restitution.