Ex-Office Manager of The Dartmouth Sentenced to 15 Months for Stealing Over $223,000 from Student Newspaper

CONCORD – A Springfield, Vermont woman was sentenced today in federal court in Concord for stealing $223,372.51 from The Dartmouth (“The D”), which is the student newspaper at Dartmouth College, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.

Nicole Chambers, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Landya B. McCafferty to 15 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. On April 30, 2024, Chambers pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

“The Dartmouth, a non-profit student newspaper, entrusted the defendant with their finances, and she betrayed that trust by embezzling more than $223,000 over the course of four-and-a-half years,” said U.S. Attorney Young. “This was a crime motivated by the defendant’s greed, plain and simple. The defendant stole to fund her high lifestyle, including trips across the United States and Caribbean and purchasing luxury items. The consequence of crimes like this is federal prison.”

“Fraud is never the ticket to lasting financial gain, as Nicole Chambers has now discovered,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Over the course of four years, Ms. Chambers stole and squandered almost a quarter-million dollars from the non-profit newspaper she worked for so she could live well above her means. Justice demands that financial fraudsters like her be held accountable for their crimes and today’s sentencing ensures that.”

The D is the lead student newspaper at Dartmouth College and is a nonprofit run by student volunteers. Between 2012 and 2021, Chambers was the office manager for The D. In her role, Chambers had full access to The D’s finances, including its bank account, PayPal and Venmo accounts, and debit card. Between April 2017 and September 2021, Chambers stole money from The D. She primarily used her access to The D’s PayPal accounts to make unauthorized transfers to accounts she controlled. She also made unauthorized transfers from The D’s Venmo account and made unauthorized purchases on the newspaper’s debit card.

In total, Chambers stole $223,372.51 from The D. She misused the funds on personal expenses, including plane tickets, hotels, and lodging across the United States and Caribbean as well as on items such as a 12-inch green tea memory foam mattress and bedframe. She also used The D’s funds to pay $1900 in fees associated with her husband’s court case in Newport (Rhode Island) County Superior Court.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. The Hanover Police Department and Grafton County Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case.