PITTSBURGH (AP) – A cashier convicted of stealing nearly $13 million from the monuments and engraving firm where she worked has been sentenced to just over eight years in prison.
Cynthia Mills, who’s 56 years old, took the money from Matthews International Corp. from 1999 to 2015. She pleaded guilty in March to mail fraud, wire fraud, tax evasion and money laundering.
The case is the largest embezzlement ever prosecuted in the 25 counties comprising the Western District of Pennsylvania, Assistant U.S. Attorney Shardul Desai told the judge. Investigators were unable to find bank records before 1999 to determine whether Mills stole even more money since she started working at the Pittsburgh-based company in 1981, Desai said.
Mills’ attorney, Phil DiLucente, told the judge the thefts weren’t driven by greed but by Mills’ addiction to gambling at the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh and The Meadows Racetrack & Casino in nearby Washington County, where he said the bulk of the money was lost.
As part of Mills’ plea deal, which included the eight-year, four-month sentence imposed Thursday, Mills agreed to forfeit three homes, a yacht, two other boats, at least eight cars and other items including jewelry and expensive designer handbags bought with the stolen money.