Office Manager Convicted in $81,000 Embezzlement Scheme

WOBURN – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan informed the public today that Kathryn Copeland, 45, of Riverview, Florida, has been convicted of stealing $81,000 from her former employer in Acton.

Copeland, formerly of Holden, Mass., pleaded guilty last week in Middlesex Superior Court to two felony counts of Larceny Over $250.  Middlesex Superior Court Judge Thomas Billings sentenced her to two and half years in the House of Correction, one year to serve with the balance suspended for five years, and five years probation from and after her jail sentence.  She was also ordered to pay $81,000 in restitution.

“This defendant hatched a scheme to steal from her employer, buying expensive electronics with company funds and then selling the items over the Internet,” District Attorney Ryan said.  “This type of fraud is not a victimless crime; it affects businesses, honest employees, and customers.  With this plea the defendant has taken responsibility for her actions and will now pay restitution for her theft.”

According to authorities, Copeland was hired in 2006 as the office manager of the Acton office of Student Transportation of America (STA), a transportation company headquartered in New Jersey.  As office manager, she was responsible for purchasing supplies, billing, and managing office personnel.

In February 2012, Copeland abruptly resigned, reporting to her colleagues that she had a medical issue and was moving to Florida.  After her resignation, an STA accountant discovered Copeland had forged two checks.  Acton Police were notified of the forged checks and launched an investigation which revealed that Copeland had used the company credit card to illicitly purchase expensive digital cameras, iPods, GPS navigation units, tablet computers, and a television that was shipped to a man in California as gift.  Detectives also discovered that some of the electronics had been sold over the Internet.  In all, Copeland made some $81,000 worth of unauthorized purchases between May of 2009 and January of 2012.  The two suspicious checks had been forged to pay a credit card bill, in an attempt to cover up her illegal spending.

Following their investigation, police arrested the defendant in Florida.

The case was investigated by Acton Police and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Doug Nagengast of MDAO’s Special Investigations Unit.