Gamble must repay all stolen funds to company
A woman who embezzled $53,400 while working for WinCor Properties will have to pay back the entire amount while serving five years of probation.
Lisa Gamble, 52, pleaded guilty to embezzlement in February. As part of that deal, a charge of falsifying accounts was dismissed.
“I want you to realize that you have a sentence of 1-10 years hanging over your head,” Judge Phillip Gaujot said. “I want Mr. Corwin paid.”
Gamble was first charged in April 2018.
Since that time she’s been on bond and there have been no issues, defense attorney Michael Safcsak said. Because of the “lengthy” amount of time she was on bond without issues, Safcsak asked his client be given probation.
Assistant Prosecutor Stephen Fitz did not oppose the request as the state agreed not to make a sentencing recommendation as part of the plea deal.
“I would ask the court to impose the sentence that meets the crime in this case,” Don Corwin said.
He said Gamble was placed in a position of trust and she abused that trust to steal over $50,000 from the small, family business.
In many cases, Gamble took advantage of the company’s most vulnerable tenants such as minority and low-income students, Corwin said.
Her actions caused “substantial and long lasting” damage to the company and it’s been difficult to recover, he said.
Gamble’s embezzlement was first discovered as Corwin was preparing to do taxes in 2018, Fitz said. Corwin realized there were missing rent deposits and figured out that the missing money was all cash payments.
Corwin contacted various tenants and accused them of not making payments, only to be told they were making payments and were even told they would receive a receipt by email but that they never did, Fitz said.
Gamble was canceling balances in the computer program used to track the company’s expenses so the end of month balance would be correct, Fitz said.
It was a fairly extensive and devious and thoughtful plan to the tune of $53,000,” Fitz said.
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