A Fairfield woman has pleaded guilty to embezzling $1.5 million from her employer and directing a portion of the funds to pay her home equity line of credit.
Carolina Guerreno, 49, of Fairfield, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday in Hartford federal court to one count of wire fraud, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney’s office.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Guerreno was the chief financial officer of a financial services company in Shelton. As part of her job responsibilities, she had access to her employer’s bank accounts and could initiate financial transactions, including wiring company funds to other bank accounts.
Prosecutors said that between January 2019 and February 2021 Guerreno stole $1,532,207.24 by altering company financial transactions and directing electronic payments from her employer’s bank account to her credit card accounts, her personal bank accounts, and to pay her home equity line of credit. The company detected the fraud in February 2021, the statement said.
Guerreno is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for Nov. 28.
