The office manager of a contractors supply company in Illinois, Joan Chenoweth, has been indicted by a grand jury for embezzlement and for filing false tax returns.
Chenoweth controlled the company’s finances and had access to the business’s credit cards and bank accounts. In addition to writing company checks to herself, she paid personal credit card bills with company credit cards, and wrote unauthorized payroll checks to herself that exceeded her salary.
She avoided detection by making false entries into the company’s accounting program and by deleting true and correct entries. During a four-year period Chenoweth stole approximately $624,152.
In addition to the fraud charges, she is charged with filing false income tax returns for 2014 through 2017.
If convicted, Chenoweth will be required to pay restitution and penalties, and faces up to 20 years in prison.
