Ex-accounting assistant sentenced to three years for embezzling $332,000

A former accounting assistant in Ecuador has been sentenced to three years in prison for abusing her position to embezzle more than $332,000 from a private company. Karina Lissette G.S. was found guilty of the direct commission of the crime of abuse of trust.

Prosecutors demonstrated that G.S. worked for the company since 2012 and held a position of responsibility from June 2014. In her role, she had direct control over the company's checkbook and was responsible for payroll and accounting records. This access allowed her to manipulate the financial system for years without raising suspicion.

The scheme unraveled after her unexpected resignation on January 17, 2018. An internal audit revealed significant accounting discrepancies. The investigation, supported by bank records, showed that G.S. had used forged signatures to authorize multiple checks cashed in her name, drawing from the company's account while she was in custody of its checkbook.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court ordered G.S. to pay a fine equivalent to 10 unified basic salaries (approximately $4,820) and to fully reimburse the company for the economic damages. The court cited Article 187 of the Organic Integral Penal Code, which penalizes the illicit disposal of assets with one to three years imprisonment, aiming to set a precedent for ethical financial conduct.