Over $100,000 Embezzled From Timbers Of Shorewood: Barten

SHOREWOOD, IL — The Will County State's Attorney's Office of Jim Glasgow has charged a 49-year-old ex-employee of Timbers of Shorewood with two counts of felony theft in connection with allegations that Christine A. Brown stole more than $100,000 from the Shorewood assisted living facility at 1100 River Road.

According to the bill of indictment, Brown stole money from her employee between April 30, 2021, and Aug. 19, 2022. One of her charges indicates the value of the stolen property exceeded $100,000 but did not exceed $500,000.

On Friday, Shorewood Deputy Police Chief Jason Barten said he did not want to discuss too many specifics regarding the money Brown is accused of taking. According to its website, Timbers of Shorewood is "a rental retirement community focused on independent and assisted living for seniors."

"It was in excess of $100,000 but considerably less than $500,000," Barten told Patch's editor. "We're working her (legal) representative" to negotiate her surrender.

In 2021 and 2022, Brown obtained unauthorized control over the payroll records of Timbers of Shorewood during a 16-month period, according to court records.

On Friday, Kevin Young, executive director at Timbers of Shorewood, told Joliet Patch's editor that Timbers of Shorewood discovered financial discrepancies in its monthly payroll budgets for a couple of departments.

Young said the financial irregularities were discovered around August 2022.

"She was let go when we uncovered it," Young remarked Friday.

A resident of Crest Hill, Brown had worked at Timbers of Shorewood for about seven years as the business office manager. At the time of her hiring, Brown underwent a thorough employment background check, and she had no prior criminal record, Young pointed out.

Timbers of Shorewood on Black Road currently has about 70 employees, and it provides care to about 175 residents.

Young emphasized that none of the funds belonging to the residents of Timbers of Shorewood were taken. He said that internal audits determined that the money Brown is accused of taking was confined to the company's payroll records.

"There is no way that the residents' accounts were touched," Young remarked.

Young complimented the work of the Shorewood Police Department on the case. He said that the Shorewood police were contacted last August once Timbers of Shorewood suspected the theft.

"They've been very cooperative in keeping me up to date," Young said of the investigation.

Although the criminal case was opened late last summer, Barten said that financial investigations often take considerable time as detectives conduct interviews and track down financial records.

As of 3 p.m. Friday, Brown had not been arrested.

A Will County judge issued a warrant for Brown's arrest on Friday, setting her bail at $1,000.

In other words, Brown must come up with $100 to regain her freedom as she awaits her eventual trial at the Will County Courthouse.

According to her arrest warrant, Brown lives in the 2500 block of Crest Hill's Live Oak Drive.