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GRAND RAPIDS — A girl has agreed to pay $78,500 in restitution to her household enterprise underneath the phrases of a plea settlement resolving a major embezzlement case.
Lynda Chris Gillson, 65, of Grand Rapids, entered an Alford plea Monday in a case that was initially alleged to have concerned the theft of greater than $200,000 from Glen’s Military Navy Retailer, the place she served as the only real bookkeeper. The plea permits her to keep up her innocence whereas acknowledging that enough proof exists to search out her responsible of felony theft.
Authorities mentioned a evaluate of monetary information confirmed that Gillson was taking cash in an effort to gamble and repay bank card money owed. Important discrepancies have been reportedly found within the books after Gillson was requested to resign in September 2018, however she denied the theft allegations.
The shop has been a fixture in Grand Rapids since 1946, and it has been operated by the Eichorn household since 1974. It is at the moment owned by former Itasca County Commissioner Rusty Eichorn, the brother of Gillson and uncle of state Sen. Justin Eichorn.
Gillson is not going to face any jail time underneath the phrases of the plea settlement, which requires 5 years of supervised probation. A keep of imposition would enable the felony to be deemed a misdemeanor upon compliance with all situations.
The plea settlement stipulates that Gillson should present the court docket with authorized documentation authorizing the switch of her restitution fee from her portion of the household belief previous to sentencing. She’ll even be prohibited from any additional contact with the shop.
Decide Korey Wahwassuck scheduled sentencing for Dec. 27.
Based on a felony grievance filed in February 2020:
The Grand Rapids Police Division was notified in November 2018 that Gillson was suspected of stealing “a big amount of cash over the previous few years.” She had been requested to resign because it was believed she was taking merchandise with out paying for it, however the money theft was not found till a brand new accountant took over.
The shop supplied police with monetary information from January 2016 via December 2018. The information confirmed important losses, with quite a few checks written out for “change,” which managers mentioned was not normal apply. Moreover, it appeared that Gillson had been taking money straight from deposit envelopes underneath an previous merchandising system.
A evaluate of Gillson’s banking information found she had deposited many checks in matching quantities to these written out for “change” on the retailer. A employee acknowledged that Gillson additionally had been identified to reach at work early to rely tills herself, regardless of that not being a part of her job.
Police found Gillson had no less than 12 energetic bank cards from 2016 to 2018, making important funds throughout that point that “practically equal or surpass Gillson’s legit earnings throughout these years.”
She additionally “spent closely” at space casinos and, at one level, on a visit to Las Vegas. At White Oak On line casino in Deer River, her participant’s membership card indicated she wagered $136,556 in 2017 alone, dropping greater than $10,500 by 12 months’s finish.
“As a result of fluid nature of money, Gilson’s accountability in dealing with Glen’s monies, and her bills far in extra of her legit earnings, it’s also believed that rather more was taken by Gilson throughout these time intervals that was not deposited into her checking account, as mirrored within the losses to the shop,” the grievance acknowledged.
The entire loss calculated by police over the three-year interval was $201,066.
Police mentioned Gillson was interviewed twice, admitting she had a playing downside however denying that she ever stole cash from Glen’s.
Gillson instructed police lacking deposits have been truly money advances or comfort checks as she had “gotten financially in over her head with bank cards.”
She additionally claimed her mom, a co-owner, was accountable for losses as a result of she had a behavior of handing out money from the shop to members of the family. However different members of the family and retailer staff disputed her explanations.
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