SugarTop General Manager Gorman/Beaumont Financial Management Called Into Question
Gorman Beaumont may have violated N.C. Gen. Stat. § 55-8-33 by making unlawful loans of entrusted property which is prohibited.
Shannon Gorman/Beaumont, the current Sugartop HOA general manager, is a Florida felon whose past crimes include: Two counts of Grand Theft over $300 but less than $5000; Grand Theft over $ 10,000 but less than $20,000; sixteen counts of Forgery; sixteen counts of Uttering Forged Instruments; fraud involving less than $10,000 or more than 10 individuals; and three counts of Fraudulent Use of Personal Identification Information. Ms. Gorman/Beaumont is on probation in Florida until 2029. As general manager, she has or has had access to Sugar Top's finances and other sensitive information, including the authority to sign checks for Sugar Top.
Owners have questions about financial transactions discovered while Gorman/Beaumont was managing the HOA finances, showing that on July 10, 2024, Ms. Gorman/Beaumont signed a check from Sugar Top to herself for $200.00. 30. On or about July 18, 2024, Ms. Beaumont signed a check from Sugar Top to herself for $400.00. Ms. Gorman/Beaumont stated that the checks were “loans.” She used HOA funds to loan herself the money and only recently was asked by the HOA Board to repay both loans.
Moreover, a resident reported doing some work for Sugartop and was paid by Ms. Gorman, which included payment for some personal items she ordered. Ms. Gorman/Beaumont said she was using an HOA check to pay for those items, explaining she was short of cash.
Additional documents show questionable expenses related a HOA operated pub showing Ms. Gorman/Beaumont made out a check to herself #18482 on 01/02/24 for $103.00.
There are transactions labeled office expenses on 01/24 to 08/24. Ms. Gorman/Beaumont made out a check to herself #18620 on 04/01/24 for $500.00. Ms. Gorman/Beaumont wrote four checks in a minimal time period.
There has been a request to produce financial records and statements from 08/24 to 08/25, along with a request for documentation of when and how Ms. Gorman/Beaumont repaid Sugartop $400, $200, $400, $103, and $500. The requested documentation at the time of this posting has not been produced.
Additional information shows more than a dozen restaurant charges that total $1581.76. Sugartop employees confirmed two weeks ago that they did not have meals bought for them. Additionally, there are unexplained food purchases that add up to $1935.50. There is also a check/ payment for $20.13 for travel insurance dated 05-06/24 to Allianz Travel Insurance. There is also an airline ticket, and possibly hotel charges, for which documentation has been requested but not produced to the membership.
Further questions are about an account that Ms. Gorman/Beaumont closed out for $1010, and had cash remaining in that account given to her. Documentation regarding the disposition of this money and its subsequent deposit into another ST account has been requested but not provided.
The HOA Board is investigating the controversy surrounding Ms. Gorman/Beaumont’s employment. The HOA has been asked to provide more information regarding the issues surrounding Ms. Gorman/Beaumont. The Board treasurer received the following on September 8, 2025:
Patrick:
As I understand it, you are the treasurer of the HOA. There have been some concerning emails and information circulated, not to mention the email from the board regarding Shannon and her issues, including her past convictions and her conduct as the general manager.
I previously sent an email outlining my response to the last memo and letter from Mark Pinkston. I wanted to follow up with another email because there are several concerns.
First, concealment. It now appears that despite the board’s previous statements claiming that everyone knew about Shannon, that she was properly vetted, and that the board was aware of her criminal history and supported her because she had been properly vetted, as well as that her probation officer was consulted regarding her role in managing the financial affairs of this association as a fiduciary in the position of general manager, none of these claims now seem to be true. However, this pattern of facts shows that both Shannon and the board, along with Lynne Troelstrup, have been working to hide the extent of her convictions, her pleas, her probation (which is an extension of her sentence for her crimes), and her improper handling of funds and other activities as general manager. All of these issues involve a serious breach of fiduciary duties by Shannon and this Board not to mention Lynne Troelstrup.
Additionally, several issues may bring into question certain probation violations and a continuation of her behavior regarding financial indiscretions. As treasurer, I believe you should take affirmative action to ensure Shannon's resignation from her position and to initiate a forensic audit. There are several reasons for this.
First, now that you are handling the day-to-day financial operations of the HOA, you have a heightened fiduciary responsibility to the HOA members. You need to be bonded. Next, you need to hold Shannon accountable for her mismanagement of funds and diversion of funds for her personal use. Regardless of what she said she was doing this behavior is consistent with the crimes she committed against her brother and her clients. She breached her fiduciary duties by diverting HOA funds for her personal use. I think you and the Board are failing to properly deal with this conduct.
Second, it appears there is an active effort to conceal Shannon’s record. This act of concealment seems to be a cooperative effort between Lynne Troelstrup, the current board, including past members, and Shannon.
…I understand there were two checks, which Dave pointed out, written for $200 and $400: they are checks 18764 and 18775. Shannon’s signatures on these checks align with her long criminal history. When she wrote these checks, she knew her criminal background and intentionally took money, calling it a “loan.” Dave has not shown any evidence that the “loans” were repaid or that she was asked to repay them. This behavior is consistent with the conduct that led to her convictions and guilty pleas.
Shannon also wrote a check to herself, with check number 18620, on April 1, 2024, for $500. As shown in the attached documentation, this is apparently labeled as office expenses. Shannon issued approximately four checks to herself within a very short time frame.
Next, Shannon wrote a check to owner John Rankin for $550. According to Mr. Rankin, about $400 of that amount was for items personally made for Shannon. Shannon told Mr. Rankin that she was short on cash and would pay it back. There is no evidence that she repaid the money, and given Shannon’s long criminal history, it was inappropriate for a fiduciary to write such a check to pay for her personal items. This behavior aligns once again with her past criminal activity, to which he pled guilty. This one incident considering the guilty pleas and crimes committed was sufficient to immediately terminate Shannon as she clearly diverted owner money for her personal use with an intent to do so.
Furthermore, documentation shows several restaurant charges totaling $1581.76. It is my understanding that no employees or management staff reported having meals paid for them. Additionally, many food purchases amount to $1935.50. Once again, these are red flags indicating that Shannon’s behavior aligns with her past criminal history, to which he pled guilty.
I have previously sent documentation to the board regarding the financial issues surrounding Shannon. Dave Geisler has lied to the members, and now we are being informed that you, along with an accountant, are managing the HOA's finances. Patrick, we don’t have the name of the accountant, nor do we have documentation showing that Shannon has been fully removed from the financial management of the HOA. Regardless, Shannon has already breached her fiduciary duty to the HOA by diverting HOA funds to herself personally. I understand there may be additional information indicating that Shannon might have diverted certain funds from the capital reserve accounts. All these issues warrant investigation by a forensic auditor and protecting the assets of the HOA members/
If you now handle the daily financial operations of this HOA as Dave states, you have a duty to thoroughly investigate what is happening and, furthermore, you are required to seek bonding for your current management of the HOA finances. It would be at least a breach of your fiduciary duties if either Sean or Shannon has access to any finances or has any ability to manage finances under these serious circumstances.
Here is the bottom line:
First, if a disclosure is made by real estate agents to the MLS that Shannon has a long criminal history of felonies involving financial misconduct for any unit listed on the MLS, those units will not sell for their true value. It will hinder the ability to sell those units. I mention this now, but I understand that disclosure will be legally required for at least one broker. This damages homeowners.
Second, the conduct pattern of this board shows active concealment of Shannon’s criminal history and her actions in diverting HOA funds for personal use. It also reveals an ongoing effort to mislead HOA owners about her vetting process, conversations with probation officers, and the disclosure of her past criminal record before, during, and after her employment. Additionally, the inconsistent stories from this board about what was known or unknown raise serious concerns about concealment.
Next, financial documents show that Shannon committed offenses against the HOA. She diverted, regardless of the amounts, money from the HOA accounts to herself for personal use. This is a breach of her fiduciary duty, and any treasurer at the time of these diversions also breached their fiduciary duty by failing to detect and disclose this. Moreover, upon discovery of this conduct his Board continues to fail to take appropriate action as fiduciaries to the HOA membership.
This board has potential fiduciary liability for breach of the fiduciary duty to the members of the HOA for the way it is conducting itself.
Patrick, the damage has already been done. The damage grows worse day by day. In fact, it may be the duty of this board to report these indiscretions and these diversions of funds to the probation department in the state of Florida, which governs Shannon’s probation.
…This board, and you as treasurer, are directly responsible for failing to act, undermining the value of property at Sugar Top. The only way to correct this is to take immediate action.
…These are real issues, Patrick. As you are now managing the HOA’s financial matters with a CPA, removing that responsibility from management’s purview, I would encourage you to act immediately. Also, as the financial manager of the HOA’s finances, per Dave’s email and memo, I am asking for your written confirmation that access to all financial documents, data, bank accounts, accounting programs, or any other financial data or information has been removed from management and is under your exclusive control and under the exclusive control of the CPA identifying that CPA.
On the same date, the treasurer responded:
“Stuart, I don't know who you are except by reputation. I can tell you that we are taking these things seriously and to please be patient.”
The Board was placed on notice of the issues with Ms. Gorman/Beaumont on June 16, 2025, with the HOA lawyer responding on August 4, 2025 as follows:
As you are aware, this firm represents Sugar Top Resort Condominium Owners Association, Inc. (the “Association”). I write in response to your letter dated June 16, 2025, regarding employees of the Association and its alleged mishandling of Association funds. While we disagree with the various allegations, we are currently investigating the issues raised in your letter and additional email from July 17, 2025. As a result of these concerns, the Board of Directors of the Association (the “Board”) is undertaking random checks and audits of the Association’s financial records in good faith, in addition to the audit recently completed.
Regarding Mr. Brown’s specific allegations against Ms. Shannon Beaumont, please be advised that the former Association president conducted a background check on Ms. Beaumont and was aware of her previous history when hiring her. The former president even met with Ms. Beaumont’s parole officer to comply with his fiduciary obligations. Please advise Mr. Brown that it is the Board’s position that his unsubstantiated allegations are insufficient to require the Board to terminate Ms. Beaumont’s employment. While the Board appreciates Mr. Brown’s concern over the financial soundness of the Association, he is bound by the standards set forth in Chapter 55A, and the Board would caution him against disclosing aspects of this investigation until complete.
The Board of Governors, since that time, has stated that the former President had not disclosed any background check, her previous criminal history, or any discussion with a probation officer before she was hired. Inconsistent information continues regarding Ms. Gorman/Beaumont as she remains employed with the Sugartop HOA.
As of the writing of this post, a resident has received the following from the North Carolina Real Estate Commission:
Thank you for the follow-up. Please note that I am not an attorney, and the North Carolina Real Estate Commission cannot provide legal opinions or advice. I would advise you to follow the advice of your attorney until otherwise directed. I have asked that a Case be opened to investigate the possibility of a violation or violations of North Carolina License Law, North Carolina Real Estate Commission Rules, or the Tenant Security Deposit Act. A Consumer Protection Officer and possibly an Auditor will begin an investigation shortly.
Bruce Rinne
Information Officer
Regulatory Affairs
North Carolina Real Estate Commission
Phone 919-719-9180
Web www.ncrec.gov Email brinne@ncrec.gov
P.O. Box 17100, Raleigh, NC 27619-7100
This is a developing story and will be updated as information and facts unfold.