Canonsburg Woman Embezzled from Employer to Get Money for Gambling

PITTSBURGH - A Washington County resident pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of mail fraud, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

Teri L. Zemencik, 50, of Canonsburg, Pa., pleaded guilty to four counts before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.

In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Zemencik defrauded her employer, IGS Industries, Inc., by embezzling in excess of $494,000 over a time frame of more than five years. During the period from December 2009 through March 2015, Zemencik, who was the Payroll Supervisor and Accounting Clerk for IGS Industries, issued approximately 145 checks from the company’s account by falsely entering information into the company’s accounting system to make it appear that the checks had been issued to legitimate vendors. The investigation revealed that the majority of the embezzled funds were used to repay cash advances charged to Zemencik’s personal credit cards. The investigation further revealed that Zemencik used the cash she obtained from the cash advances to gamble at local casinos.

Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for Jan. 5, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 80 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Lee J. Karl is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The United States Postal Inspection Service and the Chartiers Township Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Teri L. Zemencik.