A former employee of one of Georgia’s Court Appointed Special Advocates for children affiliates will be sentenced in December for stealing nearly $100,000 in funds intended to support children involved in the child welfare system.
Jennifer O’Neal pleaded guilty in September to embezzling $96,713 from CASA of Polk & Haralson, Inc., according to federal prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for northern Georgia. She is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 17.
O’Neal is no longer a CASA employee. She formerly served as a program specialist who oversaw payroll and expense reimbursements, according to statements released by federal investigators with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia. O’Neal was accused of leveraging her position
to divert money from CASA’s bank accounts to herself and others from 2018 to 2022.
Prosecutors say she used the money to pay for expenses at a Six Flags amusement park, personal home theater equipment, lingerie, softball gear and a Netflix subscription. The funds also went toward her own power, water, sewage and cell phone bills, they said. O’Neal disguised the improper payments as legitimate expenses, such as reimbursements for food, utilities and clothes for volunteers, staff and children, as well as mileage payments for travel to court appearances and conferences.
The charges were “inflated or were based on travel that did not occur,” according to federal authorities.
“This was not a one-time, spur of the moment decision,” Mitchell Jackson with the FBI Atlanta’s Cartersville office said in a statement. “Jennifer O’Neal frequently and repeatedly stole from her company for her own personal gain.”
The Cedartown-based nonprofit she worked for is part of a national network that trains community volunteers to advocate for children involved in abuse and neglect cases in the juvenile court system. The organization’s most recent tax filings show annual revenue of $316,000 in 2025.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Georgia Bureau of Investigation led the misuse of funds inquiry.
“Organizations that serve vulnerable individuals depend on their employees to uphold the highest standards of integrity,” Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said in the Sept. 15 statement. “O’Neal violated that trust for her own personal gain, stealing funds intended to serve abused and neglected children.”
O’Neal’s attorney declined to comment, and the Department of Justice did not respond to questions.
The prosecution marks the second time in recent years that a CASA organization’s use of funds has come under federal scrutiny.
In 2024, the National CASA/GAL Association — which sets standards for local affiliates — had to return more than $273,000 in grant funding to the Department of Justice. In an audit, the federal agency identified questionable expenses and “inadequate” accounting practices. In that instance, National CASA denied any misspending or illegal activities, and no criminal charges were filed.
Lisa Dowda, executive director of CASA of Polk & Haralson, said in a statement that the organization continues to “receive federal grants and contracts administered by state agencies, which are closely monitored by internal financial controls.” She did not reveal further details of the theft but added:
“Though our trust was betrayed by a former colleague, we have worked hard to seek restitution and rebuild trust with our community, prioritizing uninterrupted services to the children and families experiencing crisis in our community.”
Michael Fitzgerald contributed to this story.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Former CASA worker admits to stealing charity funds
