Former bookkeeper sentenced in Onslow County embezzlement case

JACKSONVILLE, NC (WWAY) — A former bookkeeper in Onslow County has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to multiple felony embezzlement charges, according to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

Karen Pierce Ramos pleaded guilty on Feb. 18, 2025, in Onslow County Superior Court to three counts of Class C felony embezzlement and three counts of Class H felony embezzlement.

Superior Court Judge Robert Roupe sentenced Ramos to up to 10 years in prison and ordered her to pay $1,661,955.73 in restitution to the victims. Ramos received credit for $500,000 in property she turned over to victims at the start of the investigation.

Ramos was arrested in November 2022 and initially charged with five counts of Class H felony embezzlement and five counts of Class C felony embezzlement. She worked as a bookkeeper and finance manager for six businesses: New Century Homes of Jacksonville, Inc.; Carolina South Builders, Inc.; Clayhill Farms, Inc.; Green Recycling Solutions, LLC; Carolina East Properties, LLC; and M&M Land Development, Inc.

Between 2011 and 2018, Ramos embezzled $2,161,955.73 from these companies, investigators found. She admitted to using multiple company credit cards for personal purchases and diverting business funds into a personal bank account.