A former State Department budget analyst recently pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $650,000 from the department over the course of two years.

Levita Almuete Ferrer, 64, used her signature authority over a checking account for the department to steal the funds between March 2022 and April 2024.

The Maryland woman issued 60 checks payable to herself and three checks payable to someone with whom she had a personal relationship, according to the Department of Justice.

She attempted to hide her crime by using a Quickbooks account at the State Department where she would enter her name as the payee on checks and, after printing them, she would change the listed payee in Quickbooks from herself to an actual State Department vendor.

“As a result, anyone viewing those entries in the Quickbooks system did not see Ferrer’s name as the payee on the checks unless they accessed an audit trail,” the Department of Justice said.

Ferrer pleaded guilty to theft of government property this week.

Under the plea deal, Ferrer agreed to pay back the amount stolen and “be liable for a forfeiture money judgment in that same amount,” the DOJ said.

Ferrer, who faces up to ten years in prison, will be sentenced on September 18.