The former director of a national charity headquartered in Bloomington has been sentenced to prison after she admitted to stealing more than $400,000 and using it for personal expenses.
Carol Babbitt, 61, now of Asheville, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to federal fraud and money laundering charges connected to Project Linus. That's a group that provides handmade blankets to children who are sick or in need.
The U.S. attorney's office for the Central District of Illinois said Babbitt received a 30-month prison sentence.
Babbitt controlled Project Linus bank accounts when she was the national president for 16 years. Prosecutors said the thefts took place between 2010 and 2016.
Babbitt pleaded guilty to using charity money for pet grooming, sports tickets, travel, electronics, and clothing. She also filed fake tax returns, prosecutors said, and will have to pay the Illinois Department of Revenue nearly $8,000.
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