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TAMPA, FL – Plant City resident Christina Lynn Morris, 46, pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges, announced by United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg. Morris now faces up to 20 years in federal prison and has agreed to forfeit $293,202 representing the proceeds of his crime.

According to court documents, Morris held dual roles as a Financial and Business Analyst at a public research university with multiple campuses in the Central District of Florida and as President of a charitable organization in the same area. Between July 2021 and July 2023, he used his roles to embezzle $290,000. He used university-issued credit cards, as well as credit cards assigned to other employees, and misused funds from the charity’s business accounts to make unauthorized transactions, including repeated bulk purchases of gift cards.

Morris further manipulated the charity’s tax-exempt status to avoid sales tax on these transactions. To conceal his activities, he forged documents, made false statements and withheld important information from both the university and the charity. Their actions resulted in financial losses of $261,632.17 for the university and $31,569.87 for the charity.

Morris’ sentencing date has not yet been set, but he will face severe penalties for his actions.