A former State Department employee, Levita Almuete Ferrer, recently admitted to stealing more than $650,000 from the U.S. government. This case of fraud has raised concerns about financial oversight in federal agencies.

Visit the Department of Justice for an official press release.

Who Is Levita Almuete Ferrer?

Levita Almuete Ferrer, also known as Levita Brezovic, is a 64-year-old woman from Montgomery Village, Maryland.

She worked as a senior budget analyst in the U.S. State Department’s Office of216 the Chief of Protocol during the Biden administration. Her job gave her access to a government checking account, which she misused to carry out her scheme.

Why and When Did It Happen?

The embezzlement took place between March 2022 and April 2024. Ferrer’s motive appears to have been personal financial gain, as she deposited the stolen funds into her own bank accounts and those of a close associate.

There’s no public evidence suggesting other reasons, such as political motivations, for her actions.

Ferrer abused her authority to sign checks for the State Department.

She wrote 63 unauthorized checks, totaling $657,347.50. Sixty of these checks went to herself, while three went to someone she had a personal relationship with.

To hide her actions, she used QuickBooks, the accounting software, to list herself as the payee, print the checks, and then change the records to show legitimate vendors. This made it hard for anyone to notice the fraud unless they checked the system’s audit trail.

“Ferrer attempted to conceal her scheme by using a common QuickBooks account at the State Department,” said a Justice Department statement.

The crime occurred within the U.S. State Department, specifically in the Office of the Chief of Protocol, based in Washington, D.C. Ferrer carried out the fraud from her workplace, using her access to the department’s financial systems.

More Important Information

The scheme went undetected for two years, raising serious questions about the State Department’s financial oversight under the Biden administration.

Ferrer’s actions involved taxpayer money, which has sparked outrage among those calling for stronger checks on government spending.

The case was uncovered by the State Department’s Office of Inspector General and Diplomatic Security Service, showing that internal investigations eventually caught the fraud.

Political Reactions

Republicans have seized on the case to criticize the Biden administration, arguing it highlights weak oversight in federal agencies. Some conservative outlets, like Featured News, called it an “explosive scandal” that “raises serious questions about the oversight of government finances under the current administration.”

Democrats have not issued prominent public statements on the case, likely to avoid drawing attention to a scandal involving a former staffer. The lack of Democratic response suggests they view it as an isolated incident rather than a systemic issue.

Additional Details

Ferrer’s guilty plea was announced on April 30, 2025, by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., alongside officials from the State Department’s Office of Inspector General and Diplomatic Security Service.

As part of her plea deal, she agreed to pay back the full $657,347.50 in restitution and face a forfeiture judgment of the same amount. This means she must return the stolen money and could lose personal assets to cover the debt.

“She printed and signed each check and then deposited all 63 checks, which totaled $657,347.50, into her personal checking and savings accounts,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated.

Sentencing Date

Ferrer’s sentencing is scheduled for September 18, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Christopher R. Cooper. She faces up to 10 years in prison, though the final sentence will depend on federal guidelines and the judge’s discretion.

More Important Information

The case has sparked calls for better safeguards in government financial systems. Experts suggest regular audits and stricter controls on check issuance could prevent similar fraud in the future.

The fact that Ferrer’s scheme went unnoticed for so long points to gaps in monitoring, especially in agencies handling billions of dollars in public funds. This incident may push lawmakers to review how federal departments track and protect taxpayer money.

Levita Almuete Ferrer’s guilty plea to embezzling over $650,000 from the State Department is a stark reminder of the need for strong financial oversight in government.

Her two-year scheme, uncovered in April 2024, involved writing fraudulent checks and hiding them through clever accounting tricks. With sentencing set for September 2025, the case continues to fuel debates about accountability in federal agencies.

Republicans have used it to critique the Biden administration, while Democrats have stayed largely silent. As taxpayers demand transparency, this case underscores the importance of protecting public funds from internal fraud.

Sources: For the full press release visit justice.gov/usao