At the regional court in Feldkirch, a 50-year-old woman from Vorarlberg was not legally sentenced to an unconditional prison sentence on Friday. In her capacity as an accountant, the previously innocent woman defrauded her employer of around 870,000 euros.
Casino nights, vacations with friends, concert tickets, restaurant visits, clothing, scratch cards. The defendant had financed all this with the money. She also repeatedly helped her mother financially with the monthly payments for the condominium. Of course that was not possible with a salary of 1840 euros. So an “extra income” was needed.
Cheated with account numbers
As an all-rounder in accounting, the woman saw her chance. For example, she was responsible for drawing up collective invoices from suppliers in Germany. However, the employee has cheated with the account numbers by giving her own. And so the woman from Vorarlberg deposited considerable amounts into her account every month. The left game went well for over seven years. Until finally the bank got suspicious and asked the account holder.
Again, the woman seemed smart at first, claiming that the money was commissions from companies they would each receive. To do this, she wrote a confirmation, forged her boss’s signature and presented it to the bank. When the employer is confronted with this, the crooked machinations of the employees come to light. “It is unbelievable that it is possible in the state of Austria to defraud a company like this,” says the private party’s lawyer Andreas Mandl, stunned.
“Can’t measure and aim”
Lawyer Markus Schiechtl replies: “My client has let himself drift and has missed the mark. But she didn’t act on purpose.” How she ended up in the spiral of addiction is a mystery to the suspect: “I didn’t think about sums. I have not set a limit on when to stop.”
Nearly half of the damage cannot be reconstructed
The fact is that of the 870,000 euros embezzled, the whereabouts of 320,000 cannot be reconstructed, according to public prosecutor Manfred Bolter. One thing is certain for him: every transfer was an act of will. If someone is so unscrupulous and has such a great suppression mechanism, he should be punished accordingly. The defendant abused the trust of the employer on a large scale.
Three and a half years in prison
The jury follows the prosecutor’s request. The sentence was three and a half years unconditional imprisonment. In addition, she must repay the embezzled money to the employer within two weeks. The same amount will be forfeited. “My client is in a bit of shock right now, she wants three days to think it over,” her lawyer said at the end.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
