An Alabama company has suffered losses of nearly $191,000 after its accounting manager diverted company funds through unauthorized payments and personal spending, according to federal court filings.
Andrew W. Volkoff, who managed accounting at the Bessemer-based firm, entered a plea agreement in federal court. Prosecutors allege he issued himself 12 unauthorized payments from the company payroll account, falsely labeling them as expense reimbursements, miscellaneous reimbursements, or commissions despite not holding a commission-based position.
Those payouts totaled $27,992.15 and occurred outside the firm's regular pay cycles.
Volkoff also charged $162,932.42 in personal expenses on a company American Express card between January 2023 and June 2025. The charges included a down payment on a 2011 Mercedes-Benz and transfers through PayPal and Venmo.
The combined unauthorized activity cost the employer $190,924.57 over approximately two and a half years. Court filings identify the business only as Business #1.
When questioned by investigators in June 2025, Volkoff attributed the scheme to money problems and acknowledged using the firm's credit card for personal enrichment.
A guilty plea on the wire fraud charge carries potential penalties of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. No sentencing date has been scheduled in the Northern District of Alabama case.
