A former office manager at West Allis-based Staff One Limited is accused of using her position to cut herself duplicate payroll checks worth nearly $320,000 over a year and a half, according to documents filed last week in federal court.
Candice Wilson of Burlington is charged with three counts of wire fraud. Each count carries a potential penalty of 20 year in prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to the indictment, Wilson began working at Staff One, a “full service recruiting and human resource outsourcing alternative” in late 2006 and became office manager in February 2007. Her responsibilities in that role included bookkeeping, payroll, billing and accounts receivable. She also had access to the company’s bank accounts.
The indictment says in December 2011 Wilson began taking money from her employer by issuing duplicate paychecks. After her legitimate check was issued, she allegedly would access the company’s accounting software and have the check re-issued as if there were a problem with the first one. Doing this did not void the original and Wilson would stamp the check with an owner’s signature.
She allegedly issued herself a total of 47 paychecks for more than $37,000 in June 2013 alone. The company terminated Wilson in early July 2013 after discovering irregularities in its business accounts, the indictment says.
Wilson allegedly cashed the checks at retail outlets and check-cashing business to avoid detection instead of depositing them in her bank account. She also allegedly made occasional transfers from the company’s general accounts to its payroll accounts to cover the additional checks. The indictment says she was the only one to make transfers during the time period in question.
In total, Wilson allegedly diverted $319,350.60 to herself, the indictment says.
