Monday, March 30, 2009

What's Behind Rise In Worker Theft?

The Bend Oregon, Bulletin, published an article today entitled "What's Behind Rise In Worker Theft?" The article suggests that prosecutors have noticed a rise in embezzlement cases, but say that the reasons vary. According to the article, in the past 18 months some 15 people in Deschutes County, Oregon have been charged with various forms of embezzlement amounting to more than $500,000 in thefts from their respective employers. At least one perpetrator allegedy had a gambling problem. Another stole to pay off debts. Some stole to maintin or better their lifestyles. Others still feel entitled to the money and are disgruntled with their employers for some reason. Others still supposedly have mental health issues.

Read the whole article here.

We note that one of the examples included in the article is the case of Tiffany Lee Savastano. We noted her story back in November where she was sentenced to 6 years in prison for embezzling more than $200,000 from the Cooper Mountain Winery. However, the article cites Savastano as having embezzled $113,831 from 97 Truck and Trailer. We have not been able to independently verify that this, but perhaps it is a case of another serial embezzler.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know for a fact that she was sentenced for both cases, she will spend more than 8 years in prison for these cases. After she was suspected of embezzling from the winery she moved, and continued doing what she was at the winery and in total stole more than $600,000 from both companies, she stole more than 113,000 in just under a year from the trucking company.

Chris Marquet said...

Glad she will spend more time behind bars. Clearly she is a serial embezzler. If you have some links to media or court filings please share them regarding the 97 Truck & Trailer case.

Anonymous said...

I am both amazed and appalled to see that Tiffany is only going to be serving 8 years! Her original conviction in Washington County (Oregon) for the winery fraud carried a sentence of 76 months, which means the Deschutes County case only added on about 2 years on a second offense! In the winery fraud, she began her embezzlement within a few weeks of beginning employment, using a very well-thought-out method. She expanded into many other forms of fraud while she was there, not stopping until she quit the company after about 3 years or so. Then she embezzled again at the truck supply company! Since she isn't a licensed CPA, there is nothing to stop her from doing this again when she finishes serving her jail term - she's only in her early 30's at this time, so she has a lot of time left to get other jobs. At least the next time she gets caught she'll be up for serious jail time due to the "three strikes" law in Oregon! If I was the company who employed her after she left the winery and before she went to work for 97 Truck and Trailer, I would sure take a hard look at my books . . .
Oh, and Tiffany is not a gambler, has no known drug habit or anything like that, she just likes to buy clothes, toys, eat out, etc. - no money or assets to recover!

Anonymous said...

She is going to serve a lot less time than that, she is getting out in about 5 years, so with good time she is spending about 6 1/2 years in jail! It just doesn't seem right! They actually did a lot of combining the time she is doing for Washington county with Deschutes County. So yeah she only got 1 1/2 years more for the Money she took from the Trucking company. She didn't have a job between the two she went straight from one to the next. Wondering if she did it to the place before the Winery though...

I wouldn't be surprised if she continued doing it when she gets out, she doesn't seem to be remorseful...And neither place will see get the amount of money she owes in restitution if they get any of it.

Anonymous said...

Oh, I just wanted to add I was the one who posted the first comment on this, and that 8 years was the date we had heard before they calculated good time.

Anonymous said...

this is crazy stuff

Anonymous said...

Anyone kept tabs on this story or the outcome?

Anonymous said...

Tiffany has changed her last name, or is using a different last name of Reynolds.
She works for a TAX office in Milwaukie, OR. Truly unbelievable!

Anonymous said...

This is unbelievable!! Do you truly have nothing better to do with your life? Leave this girl alone. I looked her up and found out some more information about her. She served her time, went to treatment, did her post prison sentence SUCCESSFULLY, pays her restitution, has been out for over 8 years and is doing great. How do you expect people to come out of the justice system and have productive lives if you continue to harass them when they are doing NOTHING but living their lives!!!

Anonymous said...

That that's all lies she is now moved on to bigger better things she actually now victimizes the people that she says she's in a relationship with and takes everything they have in the state can't figure it out because it's a computer crinr