CATAWBA, SC – A Catawba woman has been sentenced to over four years in federal prison after being convicted of embezzling more than $1.7 million from her employer, a small family-owned business.
Kristin Turney, 54, of Catawba, received a sentence of 51 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. She has also been ordered to pay $1,754,204.13 in restitution.
Federal prosecutors stated that Turney, as a trusted employee, systematically stole funds from an unsuspecting employer. They described her actions as a prolonged and deliberate pattern of deceptive behavior that nearly caused the collapse of the small business. The sentence serves as a reminder that embezzlement leads to federal prison, not financial gain.
According to court documents, Turney’s fraudulent scheme spanned from 2016 to 2023. In her role as the company’s financial manager, she had access to its bank accounts, payroll, tax filings, and financial records. Over this seven-year period, she reportedly exploited her position to write and deposit more than 1,000 unauthorized checks into her personal bank accounts. To conceal her actions, she falsified accounting records, provided misleading information to tax preparers, and misrepresented the financial situation to her employer and colleagues.
The significant theft caused substantial harm to the business, which continues to experience the financial repercussions of Turney’s actions.
Turney pleaded guilty to wire fraud on November 8, 2024. She will be required to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons at a designated facility to begin her sentence.
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