SC prosecutors say NC woman’s theft of money different from federal case against her
A former chief financial officer at a Rock Hill business — who was convicted in federal court of wire fraud — had her first appearance in South Carolina state circuit court Thursday on charges related to the theft of more than $1 million from the company.
Lisa Buza Hill is nearing the end of a 57-month federal prison stretch for wire fraud. That was from her time at a Riverwalk company in 2020 where, in court documents, federal prosecutors called Hill a “serial embezzler.”
Then last month, Rock Hill police arrested Hill on charges of money laundering and breach of trust from the same time frame in 2020 when she was in charge of the money at GRH Development.
York County prosecutors said in court Thursday they want more time to review the state charges and get financial records before seeking a trial date.
Hill could be released from federal prison by the end of this year. South Carolina law only gives prosecutors 180 days to try a defendant already in custody in another jurisdiction without an extension, court statements Thursday showed.
Visiting Judge Mark Hayes told prosecutors he was not going to grant an extension to bring the state case to trial. The law is in place to keep prosecutors from holding charges against someone indefinitely — even if the person is already convicted in the federal system.
Hill, 44, made her first South Carolina circuit court appearance Thursday.
She said she had been enrolled in prison classes at the West Virginia federal detention center where she was serving her sentence before being brought to face the new charges, but made no other comments.
The new case against Hill
Rock Hill police charged Hill with laundering $1.3 million and fraud through breach of trust. Police allege she took the money as Chief Financial Officer at GRH company in the Riverwalk development.
“Here she is charged with the actual theft of the money,” Anderson said.
The time frame and circumstances are similar to the federal case, but the state charges are about stealing the money and the federal charge was for wire fraud, Anderson said.
Hill laundered the money through several banks to hide the crimes, and prosecutors need to go through all records before a possible trial, Anderson said.
“The efforts the defendant went through to conceal the information, it was multiple layers,” Anderson said.
Federal and state court records allege Hill used the Riverwalk company money on a BMW, trips to Disney World, legal fees from her previous arrests for stealing money, and other purchases.
Riverwalk is a huge residential, business and recreational community along the Catawba River.
State case carries heavier penalty
The penalty for money laundering and fraud in South Carolina state court is more severe than her federal sentence. Hill could face 10 years in state prison or more if convicted of the Rock Hill charges.
Hill has three previous federal convictions dating back to 2012, records show.
She was convicted of taking over $800,000 from a North Carolina motorcycle company near Charlotte, then for stealing from another Charlotte company in 2019. She pleaded guilty in 2022 to federal wire fraud charges from the 2020 Rock Hill scam, records show.
Hill’s lawyer said told a judge Hill was already sentenced in federal court for her Rock Hill crimes.
“It is my understanding these same charges were rolled up in her (federal) case,” said Thomas Bowen, York County assistant public defender. “My client is sitting in here (York County jail) when she needs to be serving a federal sentence.”
No trial date has been set, and Hill remains at York County jail without bail.
