A former senior budget analyst for the U.S. State Department has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $650,000 over a two-year period, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

Levita Almuete Ferrer, 64, who also goes by Levita Brezovic, admitted to misusing her authority over a State Department checking account between March 2022 and April 2024. Ferrer, a Maryland resident, worked in the Office of the Chief of Protocol, where she was responsible for managing financial transactions.

Guilty Plea and Sentencing

Ferrer was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 12 months and one day in federal prison after acknowledging she diverted $657,347.50 in government funds to fuel what prosecutors described as a gambling addiction.

Under her plea agreement, she must repay the full amount in restitution and is subject to a forfeiture money judgment equal to the stolen funds.

How the Scheme Worked

According to prosecutors:

• Ferrer wrote 63 fraudulent checks,
  • 60 payable to herself
  • 3 payable to an individual with whom she had a personal relationship
• She printed and signed each check before depositing them into her personal bank accounts.
• To hide the theft, Ferrer used QuickBooks to enter her own name as the payee, print the checks, then alter the payee information in the system after printing—changing it to legitimate State Department vendors.

Officials say the method made it difficult for reviewers to spot Ferrer as the true recipient of the payments.

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Separate Case: Suspect Arrested in Attack on U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark

In a separate federal case this week, a man accused of attacking the office of U.S. Attorney Alina Habba in Newark, New Jersey, has been taken into custody, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

The FBI identified the suspect as Keith Michael Lisa, 51, a California native with prior ties to New York City and Mahwah, New Jersey. He was arrested less than 48 hours after being charged with:

• Entering a federal building with a dangerous weapon
• Depredation of federal property

Details of the Incident

According to the FBI:

• Lisa entered the Peter W. Rodino Federal Building on November 12 carrying a baseball bat.
• After initially being denied entry, he returned and later damaged property inside the U.S. Attorney’s Office suite.
• A federal warrant was issued shortly afterward, leading to his arrest.

Bondi praised the joint response from federal agencies, stating:
“Thanks to the great work of the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and Homeland Security Investigations, the suspect wanted in the attack on U.S. Attorney Habba’s office is now in custody.”

Habba Responds After Incident

Habba, who was unharmed, thanked law enforcement and stated she would not be intimidated by threats or violence.

“We got him,” she wrote on X. “This Justice Department under Attorney General Pam Bondi and our federal partners will not tolerate any acts of intimidation or violence toward law enforcement.”

FBI Director Kash Patel also commented, saying the arrest demonstrates the strength of coordinated federal law enforcement actions.

Officials described Lisa as approximately 6’3″, weighing 200–230 pounds, and considered dangerous prior to his arrest. A motive has not yet been disclosed.

Background on U.S. Attorney Alina Habba

Habba was sworn in as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey in March. She oversees federal prosecutions and civil litigation across offices in Newark, Camden, and Trenton, supervising roughly 155 federal prosecutors and 130 staff members.

She previously served as a legal adviser to former President Donald Trump before being appointed by Attorney General Bondi earlier in the year.