Embezzling bookkeeper gets 54-month sentence

Thomas J. Turey, 64, of Norwalk, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 54 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for embezzling more than $3.4 million from his employer, a market research company in Stamford.

Deirdre M. Daly, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut, made the announcement.

According to court documents and statements made in court ”“ and released by the U.S. Attorney”™s Office ”“ Turey”™s responsibilities at the unnamed company included aggregating the monthly revenue and expense results, managing accounts receivable, performing financial analysis and reporting, and overseeing the company”™s bookkeeper.

On May 23, Turey pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

Turey was responsible for the company”™s general ledger and was in charge of conducting the company”™s bank reconciliations. Between August 2005 and January 2013, he embezzled more than $3.4 million from the company by writing checks to himself and to a fictitious entity for his personal benefit. He deposited those funds into bank accounts he controlled.

Turey made numerous false entries in the company”™s books and records to conceal his scheme.

The majority of the embezzled funds were subsequently transferred into Turey”™s online brokerage account. Judge Hall ordered him to pay full restitution to the victim company.

The case was investigated by the FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Murphy.