Christie Linares (Source: Bluffton Police Department)BLUFFTON, SC (WTOC) -
On
Thursday, Christie Linares, 41, of Bluffton, was sentenced to two years in
prison for embezzling more than $140,000 from a local property management
business. She pleaded guilty to one count of breach of trust with fraudulent
intent.
For
seven years, Linares worked as a bookkeeper for a Bluffton commercial property
management company. The embezzlement began in 2010 when Linares was given the
authority to sign checks after the company's owner moved out of the area.
It
was discovered in July 2012 that Linares was using company credit cards and
wrote checks out of company checking accounts for personal expenses and for her
own personal benefit. The money that Linares stole came from both the company's
operating account and from accounts associated with commercial properties managed
by the company.
Judge
Thomas W. Cooper Jr. ordered that Linares be placed on five years of probation
following her time in prison and that she pay $143,463 in restitution.
The
case was investigated by Henry Criss of the Bluffton Police Department and
prosecuted by Francine Norz of the 14th Circuit Solicitor's Office.
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