Connoquenessing woman sentenced for stealing at least $1.67M from employer

CONNOQUENESSING, Pa. — A woman from Connoquenessing was sentenced to prison for stealing at least $1.67 million from her employer.

The Department of Justice said Constance Stobert, 58, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for her convictions of wire fraud and making false statements on her tax returns.

Officials said Stobert worked as a controller for Mechanical Operations Company (MOC) from 1994 to July 2021.

Between January 2014 and July 2018, Stobert stole at least MOC’s assets to pay for her personal expenses, the Department of Justice said. She wrote checks from the company’s business bank accounts to make personal credit card payments. She also used the company’s credit cards to withdraw cash from ATMs at casinos in Pittsburgh and Las Vegas.

The Department of Justice also said Stobert knowingly filed false tax returns during the tax years 2016 through 2019. During these false returns, she didn’t report the money she embezzled from MOC, which resulted in a tax loss of $545,990 for the government.

A judge said Stobert caused “substantial financial hardship to MOC and its owners” and said her crimes were intentional and serious. The judge also stressed that efforts to portray the defendant as the victim were not convincing and that, given the seriousness of the offenses, defense counsel’s request for a sentence of home incarceration “is a bridge too far.”

“The victim entrusted Ms. Stobert with unfettered access to corporate funds, and, for years, she betrayed that trust by stealing more than $1.5 million and taking deliberate steps to cover up her theft,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Olshan. “This type of deception will not be tolerated, and bringing the perpetrators of such financial crimes to justice will continue to be an important part of the work of this office and our partners in law enforcement.”

“Ms. Stobert used her position to fund her lavish lifestyle and while doing so not only defrauded her employer, but honest hardworking Americans who pay their tax obligations every year,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “This sentencing should serve as reminder to anyone willing to take advantage of their employment to steal funds - the FBI will ensure you are held accountable in the criminal justice system.”

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