Former Wake County Register of Deeds convicted of embezzlement is released from prison

Anna Johnson
·1 min read
22

Former Wake County Register of Deeds Laura Riddick has been released from prison after serving nearly five years.

Riddick, 56, pleaded guilty to six counts of embezzlement from the office she ran from 1997 to 2017. In 2018, she was ordered to repay $926,000 and serve five to seven years in prison.

Her release, first reported by NC Newsline, occurred on Aug. 23 from the N.C. Correctional Institution for Women. Her parole end date is Aug. 22, 2024, according to state records.

“My only purpose in speaking today is to apologize – to you, Your Honor; to Ms. (District Attorney Lorrin) Freeman; to the current and former county commissioners; to the customers and staff of the registry; and to the people of Wake County, whose trust I violated,” Riddick said in an apology letter at her sentencing.

The Register of Deeds discovered $2.3 million was missing from the office between 2013 and 2017, The News & Observer reported previously. Four former employees, including Riddick, were eventually charged with taking a combined $1.13 million.

In 2018, an independent report found many “deficiencies” in how many more than 100 Wake County government locations handled cash and cash receipts, The N&O preciously reported.

The county office manages many public records and legal documents, issues marriage licenses and copies of birth and death certificates.