North Carolina Woman Charged with Embezzling Money from Connecticut Company

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging SUSANNA KURUS, 43, of Garner, North Carolina, with six counts of wire fraud stemming from an embezzlement scheme.

The indictment was returned on November 15, 2018.  Kurus appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez in Hartford, entered a plea of not guilty to the charges, and was released on a $200,000 bond.

As alleged in the indictment and statements made in court, Kurus formerly resided in Connecticut and was employed as the accounting manager for a company based in Stratford, Connecticut.  Between approximately October 2014 and June 2017, Kurus used the company’s financial accounting software to transfer customer credits to at least six personal debit card accounts, and then used the money for her personal benefit.  Through this scheme, she stole in excess of $130,000.

The charge of wire fraud carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count.

U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force, U.S. Secret Service and Stratford Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.