Missouri Woman Pleads Guilty To Embezzling More Than $2 Million

Karen A. Backues, 45, of Platte City, Missouri, has pleaded guilty to charges she embezzled more than $2 million from GBA Master Series, Inc., of Overland Park, Kansas, where she had been employed as chief financial officer. According to authorities, Backues forged company checks to the tune of $220,000 in a nine month period in 2009 which were deposited into a joint account for she and her husband. Further investigation revealed that Backues has misappropriated more than $2 million, according to reports. Backues and her husband, Bryan K. Keil, 44, own two local liquor stores called Olive or Twist Liquor Stores. Keil has not been charged in the case. Karen Backues was originally charged in February 2010 and pleaded guilty today to 3 counts of embezzlement and 3 counts of forgery.

Read the story here and here.

Update (6/2/11): Backues, now 47, was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Backues reportedly has a prior conviction for embezzlement in 1997.