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Columbia Bookkeeper Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing $250K from Local Business

Isha Yumakia Warr, 53, of Columbia, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for wire fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina.

2 reports on this incident · first at Aug 26, 2026, 3:21 p.m. ET

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 26, 2026, 3:22 p.m. ET
Developing · checked 19 min ago

This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.

We last searched for new coverage of this at Aug 26, 2026, 5:39 p.m. ET — checked 19 min ago.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Isha Yumakia Warr, 53, of Columbia, was on August 26, 2026, to 37 months in federal prison for wire fraud, followed by three years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina. She was also ordered to pay $253,855.48 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. Warr worked as a bookkeeper for a small business in Lexington County from June 2023 to July 2024. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, she convinced the business to change accounting software, which enabled her to pay money directly to herself rather than paying company invoices. The business discovered unauthorized transfers totaling $253,855.48 during a routine financial review, with the assistance of a forensic accountant. The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Lexington County Sheriff's Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews prosecuted the case. U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis imposed the sentence.

Earlier reports

  1. Aug 26, 2026, 3:21 p.m. ETFirst report

    Columbia Bookkeeper Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing $250K from Local Business

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Isha Yumakia Warr, 53, of Columbia, was sentenced on August 26, 2026, to 37 months in federal prison for wire fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Carolina.

    Warr worked as a bookkeeper for a small business in Lexington County from June 2023 to July 2024. Shortly after starting, she convinced the business to change accounting software, which enabled her to pay money directly to herself instead of paying company invoices. The business discovered unauthorized payments and unpaid invoices during a routine financial review, and a forensic accountant found $253,855.48 in unauthorized transfers from the business account to Warr's personal account.

    U.S. District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Warr to 37 months' imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Warr was also ordered to pay $253,855.48 in restitution and a $100 special assessment. The case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and the Lexington County Sheriff's Department, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews.

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Revision history

  1. Version 126 Aug 2026, 19:21current

    First published.

  2. Version 126 Aug 2026, 19:22current

    First published.

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