MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A former top official of the Miss Florida Scholarship Program has been charged with seven counts of wire fraud.
Mary Wickersham, 76, served as the Executive Director of the Miss Florida Scholarship Program, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that raises money to provide scholarships to young women through pageants.
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According to the indictment, Wickersham created a company under the name “Miss Florida,” which she then used to open a business account at Bank of America. She then reportedly solicited donations for the Miss Florida Scholarship Program and then deposited them into her “Miss Florida” account at Bank of America.
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She allegedly used the money to pay for her personal expenses, including shopping, maid cleaning service, and online dating fees.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement believes she stole at least $100 thousand over several years. Wickersham turned herself in to the Miami federal detention center.
