Former Facebook and Nike DEI Executive Barbara Furlow-Smiles Sentenced to Over Five Years in Prison for Wire Fraud

Barbara Furlow-Smiles, a former diversity executive at Facebook and Nike, has been sentenced to five years and three months in prison for stealing millions from both companies. Furlow-Smiles pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges in December 2023 after swindling over $5 million from Facebook and over $121,000 from Nike.

During her time at Facebook, Furlow-Smiles used her position of trust to steal more than $4.9 million by setting up a scheme involving fraudulent vendors, fake invoices, and cash kickbacks. She then moved on to Nike, where she continued her fraudulent activities, ultimately leading to her downfall.

Furlow-Smiles linked PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App accounts to her company credit cards and used them to pay friends, relatives, and other associates for goods and services that were never provided. She also approved fake invoices from vendors, directing them to send her a portion of the money they received from Facebook.

The FBI Special Agent Keri Farley commented on the case, stating that Furlow-Smiles “carelessly continued her fraudulent schemes at Nike, thinking she was untouchable.” As a result, she will now serve time behind bars for her excessive greed.

In addition to her prison sentence, Furlow-Smiles has been ordered to pay back the stolen funds to both Facebook and Nike. The case serves as a reminder of the consequences of white-collar crime and the importance of upholding trust and integrity in the workplace.