Hutchinson Woman Sentenced for Embezzling $2M from Employer

(Learfield News/Minneapolis, MN) — A Hutchinson woman will spend more than three years in prison for embezzling over two million dollars from her employer.

Court documents say 53-year-old Jennifer Lee Rath, who worked as the financial controller at a construction company, was responsible for payroll, accounts receivable, accounts payable, company credit cards, and corporate bank accounts.

Prosecutors say between August 2013 and December 2019, Rath stole over $2 million in funds to pay her credit card debts, tax liabilities, and other personal expenses.

She manipulated the company’s accounting software to embezzle, avoid detection, and prolong her fraud scheme.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced in addition to serving 41 months in prison, she was sentenced to three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in full.

The case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Hutchinson Police Department.