CHRISTIAN COUNTY, KY – A Clarksville, Tennessee, woman was sentenced with federal prison time for defrauding her employer while working as a bookkeeper in Christian County.
50-year-old Kathleen M. Michaelis was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by two years of supervised release for a total of five counts of wire fraud, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Kentucky. She was also ordered to pay $291,470 in restitution.
According to court documents, between May 2017 and May 2024, Michaelis was employed as a bookkeeper for a business in Christian County, Kentucky. During this time, she embezzled over $238,000 from her employer utilizing a fraudulent check scheme and used the stolen money to pay personal expenses, according to a news release. The name of the business was not released.
Michaelis concealed her scheme by failing to forward employee paystub withholdings to the United States Treasury and the company’s retirement plan.
This case was investigated by the FBI Bowling Green Satellite Office. U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Louisville Field Office made the announcement of her sentencing on Aug. 7.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office prosecuted the case.
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