Former Make-A-Wish Iowa CEO pleads guilty to theft of funds

(Des Moines, AP) The former CEO of Make-A-Wish Iowa has pleaded guilty to charges of embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from the charity that supports sick children and their families. Jennifer Woodley admitted in a written guilty plea last week that she made unauthorized charges on a foundation credit card, gave herself unapproved bonus and salary increases, and made false entries in foundation records. The 40-year-old pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree theft and one count of fraudulent practices. Under a plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend a sentence of five years of probation, along with fines and restitution. A charging document alleged that Woodley’s embezzlement totaled nearly $41,000, but the amount of restitution has not yet been set.