Smithfield Woman Will Serve Probation for Embezzling from Toy Company

A 36-year-old Smithfield woman will serve four years of probation, the first six months on home confinement, after being sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court in Providence for embezzling more than $274,000 from a toy company.

Christi Romano, aka Christi Machala, pleaded guilty to embezzling from Christa Creations, a toy manufacturer and distributor in Smithfield where she was employed, and for lying to FBI agents during the investigation into the theft.

At sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., also ordered Romano to pay restitution in the amount of $274,751.06. Romano pleaded guilty on May 27, 2015, as charged by way of a federal indictment returned in October 2014, to charges of wire fraud and making false statements.

At the time of her guilty plea, Romano admitted to the court that between Feb. of 2010 and March of 2012, she made 126 unauthorized wire transfers totaling $274,751.06 from a bank account belonging to Christa Creations. Romano admitted to the court that she used the funds to pay her personal credit card debt.

At the time of her guilty plea, Romano also admitted to the court that during the investigation she made false statements to FBI agents when she told the agents that she did not steal or misapply funds belonging to Christa Creations.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard W. Rose.

The matter was investigated by the FBI, with the assistance of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.