Mount Vernon Woman Used Company Checkbook As Personal Account: DA

MOUNT VERNON, NY — A city resident is accused of writing 95 checks to herself to steal money from her employer, Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced Tuesday. It's the second time this week a bookkeeper has been accused of stealing from their employer.

Sande Steelberg, 51, was arraigned on one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony.

The Grand Jury indictment alleges Steelberg, while head bookkeeper of SECS, Inc., in Mount Vernon, took money from the company over a period of 16 months. SECS, Inc. on South Columbus Avenue manufactures precision equipment for airlines and other industries.

Between June 25, 2014, and Oct. 27, 2015, she is alleged to have stolen $144,431.68 by writing 95 checks made payable to herself. She failed to record most of them in the company’s check register, and cashed them for her personal use, prosecutors said. She was arrested Aug. 31, 2017, after a warrant issued when she failed to surrender in June 2017.

Steelberg pleaded not guilty and was released on her own recognizance. Her next court appearance is scheduled for April 24. If convicted, she faces a maximum of five to 15 years in state prison.

This was a joint investigation carried out by the Mount Vernon Police Department and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Gwen Galef, Economic Crimes Bureau Chief.

Image via Shutterstock

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