Upstate New York Woman Accused Of Embezzling $873K; Suspicious Fire Delays Audit

Sandi M. Polanski, 60, of Depew, New York, has been accused in a civil suit of embezzling some $873,337 from Treibacher Schleifmittel a subsidiary of France-based  Imerys SA where she had been employed as a payroll and accounts payable manager.  According to the lawsuit, Polanski created a phony employee named A.J. Sobschak who was paid a salary through the payroll system and whose checks were allegedly deposited into Polanski's bank account.  She is also suspected of giving herself unauthorized raises and bonuses.  The misappropriations are believed to have occurred from 2009 through 2011.  Auditors were investigating the payroll discrepancies when a suspicious fire broke out at the facility and caused the audit to be suspended.  Fire investigators determined that there were two points of origin for the fire, including the conference room where the audit was being conducted. 

Read the story here.