A Southington woman has pleaded guilty to embezzling nearly $500,000 from her employer and using the money for personal expenses, including a car loan, and expensive gifts to relatives, The Associated Press reports.
Diane Walasewicz, a mother of three, faces a maximum of seven years in prison at sentencing May 25.
Prosecutors said in Superior Court on Tuesday that the 36-year-old Walasewicz overstated her own working hours, put her sister on the payroll of Maier Design Group LLC even though she did not work for the company, and used a company credit card to buy laptops for relatives.
Police say the embezzlement started in 2000 and was discovered in 2009 when the company was bought buy a new owner.
Walasewicz said she intended to pay the money back.
