Ex-Wake Forest commissioner charged with embezzling from chamber of commerce
A former Wake Forest commissioner is charged with embezzling almost $70,000 from the Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce while she was its president, public records show.
Elizabeth Simpers, 49, was arrested Thursday and charged with four counts of embezzlement, according to a news release from the town.
The charges concluded a 13-month investigation, town spokesperson Bill Crabtree wrote in a statement. A search warrant alleges she used the money for:
- A party bus rental
- Plumbing repairs, tree services and hardscape and masonry work at her residence
- Orthopedic services
- Professional photographs
- Various Amazon retail items
Simpers is being held on a $100,000 bond, Crabtree wrote. Her first court appearance is on Friday.
Simpers served as a commissioner from January 2018 to December 2021, when she lost her bid for reelection. She was president of the chamber from February 2020 to May 2024, according to her LinkedIn page.
She was honored in 2023 as the NC Main Street Champion by the NC Main Street & Rural Planning Center, a division of the N.C. Department of Commerce.
The Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce acknowledged Simpers’ arrest in a statement on Thursday, writing it had “adopted a comprehensive financial controls policy manual to safeguard against future misconduct and enhance transparency.”
“While this remains an ongoing legal matter, Chamber leadership will not comment further on that matter,” the statement read. “However, we want it to be clear: Ms. Simpers’ actions caused harm to the Chamber and placed the organization in a precarious position.”
The chamber announced on March 6 it had selected a new president, Jim Thompson.
This story was originally published August 7, 2025 at 6:14 PM.
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