Prosecutors say Rock Hill CFO was ‘serial embezzler’ who stole $1M to buy car, vacations

Federal prosecutors called Lisa Buza Hill of Belmont, N.C., “a serial embezzler” in court documents during a sentencing last year, and now she faces new financial crimes.

Hill is in the midst of a 57-month stretch in federal prison in West Virginia after taking $1.3 million that wasn’t hers as a top financial officer at businesses in two states. Now, South Carolina police and prosecutors are taking their turn at Hill.

Hill, 44, was served Rock Hill Police Department arrest warrants Tuesday that claim she laundered more than $1 million while overseeing accounts of a development company in Rock Hill’s Riverwalk district in 2020. That’s a massive residential, business and recreational community along the Catawba River.

Police went to the West Virginia prison and brought her back to be arrested on the state charges, Rock Hill police Lt. Michael Chavis said Thursday. She’s charged with money laundering and breach of trust with fraudulent intent from May through December 2020.

Local and federal embezzlement details

She is accused taking the money from GRH Development company bank accounts and washing it through other banks, according to the warrants. Hill’s scam was to “conceal and disguise” the money, warrants state.

“The defendant, knowing the funds were obtained unlawfully by herself, then spent the money for her own personal gain for attorney’s fees, private trips, a new car, and other personal spending,” the warrants state.

Hill’s federal convictions in previous fraud schemes from her time as financial executive at North Carolina and South Carolina companies dating back to 2012 are separate from the York County case against her, officials said. In the federal cases, Hill pleaded guilty to spending over $1.3 million for a BMW, Disney World tickets and more.

What’s next in Rock Hill case?

Hill remains at the York County jail at the Moss Justice Center without bail on the new felony charges. She could face 10 years or more in South Carolina prison if convicted. It’s uncleare that would add to the sentence she’s already serving.

Hill was assigned a public defender at an initial court hearing Wednesday. B.J. Barrowclough, York County chief public defender, said Thursday his office has not yet reviewed the case so he could not comment on the state charges.

But, Barrowclough said, his office would fully investigate the new charges.

It remains unclear when Hill will next appear in York County criminal court,York County prosecutors from the 16th Circuit Solicitor’s Office said Thursday.

Federal court documents show Hill asked for a reduction in her federal sentence. But last week, federal prosecutors said Hill is not entitled to a lower sentence, court records show.