Woman accused of embezzlement expected to plead guilty following new felony charges

IDAHO FALLS — A 31-year-old Idaho Falls female is expected to plead blameworthy aft being charged pinch 15 felonies regarding an embezzlement strategy from a Presbyterian religion organization.

Kaitlyn Fisher was initially charged pinch 3 counts of felony expansive theft. She was later besides charged pinch 4 counts of felony Idaho authorities income taxation evasion, 4 counts of felony perjury, and 4 counts of felony entree aliases utilizing a machine to defraud aliases get money.

According to tribunal filings, Fisher precocious accepted a plea agreement. In speech for nan prosecution agreeing to disregard each remaining charges, she agreed to plead blameworthy to 1 count of felony expansive theft, 1 count of felony Idaho authorities taxation evasion, and 1 count of felony perjury.

RELATED | Church worker allegedly steals complete $330,000 from Presbyterian religion organization

The statement besides states some sides will urge a minimum of 3 years successful situation astatine sentencing.

Fisher is expected to look for sentencing connected Sept. 18 successful beforehand of District Judge Bruce Pickett.

Background

Court documents opportunity connected Oct. 14, 2022, an worker of nan Presbytery of Kendall reported that Fisher, nan administrative clerk, had been embezzling from religion funds.

The Presbytery of Kendall is an statement that oversees nan Presbyterian churches successful nan eastbound Idaho area. According to a religion newsletter obtained by EastIdahoNews.com, Fisher was nan administrative executive assistant.

EastIdahoNews.com has attempted to interaction nan Presbytery of Kendall by telephone and email for remark and did not person a response.

The reporting statement told constabulary nan unit had not met for yearly financial reappraisal meetings since nan COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, she many times asked Fisher, who acted arsenic a caput and bookkeeper, for a summary of nan religion organization’s financials.

In October 2022, nan committee of trustees chair obtained nan organization’s slope statements aft asking nan banks directly.

In nan statements, nan labor reportedly discovered “numerous unauthorized purchases and transfers retired of some accounts via Venmo and PayPal arsenic acold backmost arsenic 2020.”

The 2 labor confronted Fisher connected Oct. 10, wherever she allegedly admitted to making nan unauthorized transfers and purchases.

On Dec. 6, an Idaho Falls Police serviceman contacted Fisher astir nan allegations, and she denied stealing nan money.

Over a week later, nan serviceman contacted a criminal interrogator pinch nan Idaho State Tax Commission, who was capable to rumor and service subpoenas for Fisher’s PayPal and Venmo relationship records.

In nan transaction history, investigators discovered astatine slightest $338,458 worthy of unauthorized purchases made from Fisher’s account, allegedly utilizing religion costs betwixt January 2019 and October 2022.

According to constabulary reports, Fisher utilized nan money to bargain a reddish 2018 Honda 4-wheeler from Action Motor Sports, to salary The Yard Butler, a section scenery designer and debited betwixt $280,890.01 and $281,474 from nan religion organization’s Wells Fargo account.

Venmo relationship records showed Fisher’s Venmo relationship was linked to nan church’s Wells Fargo relationship arsenic a costs method for transactions.

Transaction descriptions further show Fisher allegedly utilized nan money to salary for kid care, furniture, a dog, canine discarded cleanup, food, gasoline, her mortgage, and supplies/labor to decorativeness nan basement of her caller house.

Between July and October 2022 alone, Fisher allegedly walk astatine slightest $38,801.84 from nan church’s Idaho Central Credit Union account.

A warrant was issued for Fisher’s apprehension connected May 3, and she was booked into nan Bonneville County Jail connected May 7. Her bail was group to $30,000. She posted enslaved and was released connected nan aforesaid day.