Federal prosecutors say a longtime employee at Columbia’s Shelter Insurance pleaded guilty Thursday to embezzling more than $231,000 from her employer.
The U.S. Attorney’s office says Debra L. Wenger, 62, pleaded guilty in federal court in Jefferson City to misappropriation of funds by a credit union employee.
Wenger’s employer was Shelter Insurance Federal Credit Union in Columbia.
Federal prosecutors say Wenger began working for Shelter Insurance Companies in 1972, and was transferred to Shelter Insurance Federal Credit Union in 1988.
Court documents indicate she had accounting responsibilities and served as a teller. She no longer works there.
Prosecutors say an external auditor discovered the misappropriation of funds in February 2016.
The U.S. Attorney’s office says Wenger later met with Columbia Police in 2016 and confessed that she had taken cash from her teller drawer and deposited it into her personal bank account.
Shelter Insurance’s internal audit says the total amount of embezzled funds was $231,600.
Wenger faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
The FBI and IRS assisted Columbia Police with the investigation.