Office Manager Accused Of Embezzling Car Dealership Funds

NORTHFIELD, IL — The former office manager of a North Shore car dealership is accused of embezzling thousands of dollars from the company over more than two years.

Kristina Barbosa, of the 37400 block of North Granada Boulevard in Lake Villa, was charged with felony theft after Fields Auto Group employees last month reported that she had pilfered company cash through a series of unauthorized transactions on company credit cards.

Barbosa, 34, turned herself in to Northfield police Tuesday morning before she appeared in front of a judge in Skokie via video-teleconferencing in the afternoon.

Police and prosecutors said the thefts took place between June 2019 and September 2021, when Barbosa stopped working at Fields Volvo, 770 W. Frontage Road, Northfield.

According to Assistant State's Attorney Alyssa Janicki, Barbosa spent more than $5,052 on food, Amazon orders, personal shopping, groceries, items from Best Buy, Mariano's and Staples and purchases from a gas station near her home.

"The discrepancies were discovered during an audit of business expenses, and a representative of the company contacted defendant regarding these discrepancies," Janicki said. "[Barbosa] responded, making admissions and offering to repay the money."

Instead, Fields Auto Group employees reported the incident to Northfield police on Oct. 26.

---

Robert Deters, Barbosa's defense attorney, said she was had worked in the auto industry for 16 years prior to her departure from Fields.

"She left that job under glowing circumstances, with no issues. Only when she went to a competitor did Fields Auto Group declare that some of the purchases that she has made were in fact not authorized," Deters said.

"There seems to be some murkiness as to whether or not all of those purchases were or were not authorized," he added.

Janicki, the prosecutor, said the state's attorney's office reviewing the case for a possible offer of deferred prosecution.

Barbosa was released on her own recognizance ahead of her next court appearance Dec. 16 for a hearing on the status of the resolution of the case.