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Suspect in $200K theft from Boardman business arrested
BOARDMAN
A suspect wanted for purportedly stealing $200,000 from her former employer was arrested on a warrant Tuesday.
Adriann Bunch, 44, of Sheridan Road in Youngstown is charged with a third-degree felony count of aggravated theft. The charge stems from a report filed in May alleging that Bunch had overpaid herself approximately $200,000 over four years while working as a payroll accountant at State Alarm Inc. on Market Street.
According to a report filed with township police May 30, the company’s corporate treasurer said that while looking through financial records, she discovered a $5,793.56 check made out to Bunch. The treasurer told police she knew this was a mistake, and “upon further review discovered that Bunch had overpaid herself by $4,500.”
After reviewing records from the last several years, the treasurer reportedly found that Bunch had been overpaying herself since 2013. Bunch purportedly admitted as much when the treasurer asked her about it, saying, “My family needs it. I’ve been living beyond my means.” The treasurer recorded two phone conversations with Bunch in which Bunch reportedly described the thefts.
The police report notes that Bunch had been working at State Alarm since 2007, and earned $15.25 per hour.
State Alarm owner Donald Shury previously told The Vindicator he was “very disappointed” about what happened, especially because Bunch had “an awful good job” with “a very livable wage with full benefits.”
Bunch appeared in Mahoning County Area Court here Tuesday after turning herself in on the warrant, according to a report. According to court records, no plea was accepted, and Bunch’s bond was set at $8,000, requiring 10 percent cash or surety payment. Bunch is free on bond.
She is scheduled to be back in court July 25.
According to state law, conviction for a theft of that amount could result in one to five years of prison time and a fine of up to $10,000.