A Waterbury woman has been charged with stealing approximately $68,000 from a Hamden health-care business where she worked as payroll supervisor.
Hamden police spokesman Capt. Ronald Smith said police charged Ashleigh Herring, 33, of 14 Brewster St., Waterbury, with one count of first-degree larceny.
According to police, Herring had worked at Best Choice Home Health Care, at 60 Connolly Parkway in Hamden. The business offers in-home care to elderly and disabled area residents.
The company’s principal is listed with the Secretary of the State’s Office as Joyce Bellamy.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit on file in Superior Court in Meriden, Bellamy discovered the theft and lodged a complaint with police.
Superior Court in Meriden
Herring was hired in January 2017. Bellamy noticed a check on Herring’s desk that seemed odd because of the high dollar amount, the affidavit shows. Bellamy investigated further and reviewed payroll records, then discovered the alleged theft.
Herring allegedly paid herself thousands of dollars via direct deposit for hours she never worked. Herring also fraudulently deposited thousands of dollars into her boyfriend’s bank account, according to police. Herring’s boyfriend, identified as Anthony Washington, 43, also worked at the company as a companion for clients.
There were multiple fraudulent payments over the course of several months, with some individual transactions of up to $3,000, police allege. Bellamy told investigators Herring had stolen $68,307. When funds for workers compensation, Social Security and taxes are included, the total loss to the business was an estimated $86,000, according to the affidavit.
When Bellamy called Herring and her boyfriend in to explain themselves, Herring allegedly didn’t show up. Washington denied stealing any money and allegedly said Herring took him on vacations and bought him a car, but “whenever he asked her where she got the money from she would tell him that she got a bonus for doing a good job,” the affidavit says.
Court and state documents show Washington, who has convictions related to charges in multiple jurisdictions, is currently serving a two-year sentence for violating probation.
Det. Scott Levenduski conducted the embezzlement investigation. Police arrested Herring on Friday, and she is free after posting a $100,000 court-ordered bond. She is due to be arraigned in Superior Court in Meriden Sept. 23.
Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com
