Wauconda woman accused of creating fake employee to steal from Cary business

A Wauconda woman faces theft and fraud charges after police alleged she created a fake employee in a Cary company’s payroll system, court records show.

Kristen J. Delboccio, 39, of the 26600 block of North Anderson Road, was charged Friday with computer fraud involving $1,000 and $50,000 and theft involving $500 and $10,000, according to a criminal complaint.

Delboccio was accused of using Cary-based Appliance Marshall Repair’s payroll system to create a fake employee by the name of “Del, K.” and logging fraudulent hours for the employee, according to the complaint. The fake employee’s direct deposit bank account was the same as Delboccio’s, the complaint alleges.

Delboccio also was accused of using the payroll system to generate an additional paycheck for herself in December, according to the complaint.

Delboccio was accused of stealing nearly $10,700 in total using fraudulent payroll checks, the complaint alleged.

Delboccio was an employee of the company, which is how she was able to access its system, Cary Deputy Police Chief Scott Naydenoff said. The false employee was paid over a one-month period in December.

Delboccio was hired as bookkeeper in the beginning of November, said Annie Zielinski, the company’s office manager.

The thefts were discovered “completely by accident” after concerns were raised over Delboccio’s poor attendance, Zielinski said. A review of the company’s accounting books uncovered discrepancies, prompting further investigation.

The owners are “very nice, caring, trusting people,” Zielinski said, and Delboccio “took advantage of that.”

“We wanted to talk about this because we hope other people don’t end up in this situation,” she said, referencing a 2017 theft and forgery case involving Delboccio.

In that case, Delboccio was accused of stealing $10,000 and $100,000 from Lake Zurich-based PowerCom Corp between August 2015 and December 2016, according to the Lake County indictment.

She was accused of filling in previously signed company checks with her name, depositing the checks in her account and then logging the payments in the company’s accounting software with other payee names, according to the indictment.

She pleaded guilty to theft in 2019 and was sentenced to three years of second chance felony probation, court records show. She was also ordered to pay $25,000 in restitution to the company and complete 150 hours of public service.

A warrant for her arrest was issued in the Lake County case for failing to appear in court after prosecutors sought to have her probation revoked, court records show.

Prosecutors allege she has failed to pay nearly $13,000 in restitution, failed to complete the public service as required and has failed multiple drug tests, according to a petition filed in June.

Delboccio did not have an attorney listed in McHenry County court records as of Monday afternoon.