WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — A Wausau man accused of stealing over $70,000 from his employer has reached a plea deal with the state for charges of theft in a business setting.
Christopher Gustafson will return to court on July 20th where Judge Rick Cveykus will oversee a plea and sentencing hearing. He’s accused of writing checks from Astia Health Clinical Services’ account, then cashing them into his personal bank accounts.
Officials with the business say he had the ability to sign checks from the company account, but not to write checks to himself. He also wasn’t authorized to receive any money outside of his normal salary without approval from the Astia Clinical leadership group.
The charge against him is a class G Felony, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and up to $25,000 in fines.
Allegations came to light in the winter of 2022 when the company had trouble making payroll. Investigators say they’ve found evidence of at least eight checks being made out to Gustafson, then deposited into his account.
He was fired in February of 2022, charges were formally filed six months later. He’s free on a $5,000 signature bond.
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