GREENSBORO — Jeffrey Byron Plyler, 57, of Albemarle, former chief financial officer for Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, has pleaded guilty in federal court to a felony charge of making a materially false, fictitious and fraudulent statement to authorities.

Plyler pleaded guilty in Middle District Court in Greensboro before U.S. District Judge William L. Osteen Jr. in connection with a forged signature on Internal Revenue Service Form W-9. Plyler forged the signature to get payment from Pfeiffer on a fraudulent invoice.

He was Pfeiffer’s vice president for financial services and chief financial officer.

During a review of insurance invoices, Pfeiffer’s controller of financial operations noticed the university was paying a significant amount of money for insurance commissions or agent fees and did an audit.

The audit revealed several irregular invoices allegedly related to insurance commissions and consulting work done by Circle One, Senn Dunn and Leggett. The investigation further found that Plyler was listed as the registered agent for Circle One and Leggett and doing business under the name Senn Dunn. Senn Dunn did not allow or authorize Plyler to do so.

Pfeiffer paid $527,350 on invoices Plyler controlled.

Plyler faces a maximum of 60 months in prison. The plea agreement requires Plyler to make restitution of the full amount. Sentencing will be Aug. 19 in Greensboro.

The case was investigated by the FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.