Leslie Janous, Tennessee "Party Mom" Embezzler, Busted in Apache Junction

The party's over for a Tennessee crook who spent some of her embezzled millions on a spectacular Sweet 15 party for her daughter. Leslie Janous, who also goes by Leslie Gibbs, pleaded guilty in February to stealing at least $4.5 million from her employer, Scancarbon, Inc., a precious metals firm in Knoxville. She was...

By Ray Stern

May 9, 2011

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The party's over for a Tennessee crook who spent some of her embezzled millions on a spectacular Sweet 15 party for her daughter.

Leslie Janous, who also goes by Leslie Gibbs, pleaded guilty in February to stealing at least $4.5 million from her employer, Scancarbon, Inc., a precious metals firm in Knoxville. She was ordered to stay at home until her July sentencing, but she ditched her ankle bracelet in April and vanished. On Friday, federal agents arrested Janous at a home in Apache Junction.

Janous is a woman that Tennessee newspaper readers have loved to hate -- well before she was indicted. A 2006 article about her daughter's lavish party reportedly drew nasty comments from around the region. MTV considered using the party for its series on over-the-top shindigs, My Super Sweet Sixteen.

Janous gave her daughter, Brittany, a $50,000 convertible BMW at the party, among other gifts.

Fresh loathing for Janous arose in October, when she was indicted for fraud, and the public learned she'd stolen her fortune.

Having seen a couple of episodes of My Super Sweet Sixteen, it's awfully satisfying to see one of those brat's parents end up in the slammer -- for any reason.

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Ray Stern is the former news editor of Phoenix New Times. He worked as a newspaper reporter in Arizona for more than two decades. He's won numerous awards for his reporting, including the Arizona Press Club's Don Bolles Award for Investigative Journalism.