Manitowoc accountant gets probation in $42K theft case

MANITOWOC – A 46-year-old Manitowoc woman was given seven years of probation after being convicted of embezzling several thousand dollars as an accountant for a Manitowoc business.

Katherym Feo-Rodriguez was charged with theft through false representation and three counts of forgery, all felonies, after the victim reported to police that Feo-Rodriguez had stolen money from them under the guise of preparing and filing their taxes.

According to the complaint, the victim believed Feo-Rodriguez had prepared and filed their personal and business taxes with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue and the Internal Revenue Service for 2018-2023.

However, agents with both the Wisconsin DOR and the IRS told police that the victim’s personal and businesses taxes were either filed late or not filed at all.

The victim told police they were friends with Feo-Rodriguez and had an agreement that Feo-Rodriguez would file their personal and business taxes in return for discounted services from their Manitowoc business.

Police found that Feo-Rodriguez ultimately took more than $42,000 from the victim either from false payments or withholding tax refund checks and depositing them into her own account.

During a plea and sentencing hearing in the Manitowoc County Circuit Court June 12, Feo-Rodriguez was convicted of felony theft and one charge of felony forgery. The other two forgery charges were dismissed.

She was sentenced by Judge Robert Dewane to three-and-a-half years in state prison on the first charge and three years in state prison on the second charge.

Both sentences were withheld, and she was placed on probation for seven years. Conditions of her probation include counseling, maintain employment, have no contact with the victim except for restitution payments, and no tax preparation or managing of financial accounts for anyone except for her and her husband.

Feo-Rodriguez was also ordered to pay $47,484 to the victim in restitution.