Former Woodridge Legal Secretary Pleads Guilty to Stealing $550,000 From Law Firm
Mary Marra, 44, plead guilty Thursday to stealing money from a Downers Grove law firm, where she worked as a secretary.
A Woodridge woman plead guilty Thursday to stealing more than $550,000 from a Downers Grove law firm where she worked as a secretary, according to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office.
Mary Marra, 44, of the 3000 block of 63rd Street, plead guilty to two counts of theft in excess of $100,000 and one count of continuing financial crimes enterprise. Both are felony charges.
Marra allegedly embezzled $551,662.66 through a scheme she was able to keep hidden from her employers for more than five years, according to a press release.
Beginning in December 2002, Marra employed several different methods to commit the thefts, including writing herself unauthorized checks from bank accounts controlled by the law firm and forging her employer’s signature on other checks written out to her. Marra also wrote herself checks from the estate of one of the law firm’s clients.
In February, 2008, the bank notified the company of a recent overdraft. An internal company audit followed revealing discrepancies in the company’s books.
While all charges are probationable, Marra faces up to fifteen years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
“Today, Ms. Marra admitted stealing more than half a million dollars from her former employer,” said DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin in the release. “For several years she treated her employer’s bank accounts as her own personal ATM machine, taking money for whatever she needed whenever she needed it. I would like to thank Assistant State’s Attorney Diane Michalak for holding Ms. Marra accountable for her actions and for her continued efforts in combating white collar crime.”
Marra has been out on bond since being charged and will remain so pending sentencing. To date, she has paid back approximately $100,000. Her next court appearance is scheduled for July 27 for return of the pre-sentencing report.
Sharon Garvey
1:29 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Can you just imagine how much money that Law Firm is taking in every year to not miss that much money?
Melissa Sersland
2:38 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
That thought crossed my mind, as well!
Mike G.
2:48 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
And your point is really ..... What? That's it's okay to steal from 'evil rich' corporations? Or it's okay because they "didn't miss that much money" for five years?
But in case you missed it some of that $550K she embezzled was from the Estate of a DEAD PERSON. For that alone she should get 15 years.
(classy lady that Mary is, yes indeed!)
.
Melissa Sersland
2:55 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
No one said that, Mike. We were only saying that it's surprising that no one missed the money for that time.
Susan Allgood
3:36 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
I didn't read that it was OK to steal from anyone reading either of the comments.....they were correct in saying that it's HARD to believe that half a million dollars went missing and no one noticed over a period of 5 years.....hard, very hard to understand Mike!! I would miss 50.00.....not saying I have a lot of money, but I would know it was missing!!
Mike G.
8:46 am on Friday, June 22, 2012
Okay. I apparently got the wrong impression. My apologies. The thing is I hate thieves. To me they're just below Cowardly Women Beaters and those that torture/abuse Dogs and Cats - or engage in Dog Fighting.
But the thing to remember about embezzlers is that they're smarter than you're average Stick-Up mope. They are cunning and plan, and plan for a long time before they steal that first couple thousand. And at a 'large' corporation, or Law Firm, it's easy for them to get away with it (for a while) when they are in a position of trust and have access to all the firm's accounts. And from what's known she pulled off her scam over five years and the total stolen averages to about $9,100 a month. That's easy to hide if the thief breaks that down to smaller amounts and deposits it into multiple accounts, which she had. And would not raise any Red Flags during any regular corp audit.
So it really is easy to see how the Law Firm "didn't miss that much money". Because it wasn't "that much" each time she took it. A Little here, a little there, then it all adds up after a few years to a huge amount. (hope she doesn't get Bail, she'll skip the country)
Vicky Kujawa
7:26 am on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Out of $550 she paid back $100, She gets free room and board on the taxpayers for a few years and she will be out; gross $450K. Not a bad haul! Beats working.
Vicky Kujawa
7:28 am on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Hell, it is almost better than unemployment, disability and TANF combined. Eat your heart out, Obama.