SACRAMENTO, CA - A Citrus Heights woman who stole more than $1.7 million from the insurance company she worked for was sentenced to 57 months in prison and ordered to repay $1.5 million, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of California.
Kathe Rascher, 53, was found guilty of one count each of mail fraud and tax evasion. She worked as a bookkeeper for River Valley Insurance Inc.
Court documents show Rascher used the insurance company's account to write checks to herself and relatives. She changed the names on the payees in her bookkeeping records, changed carbon copies of the checks and made up fake invoices, said Lauren Horwood, U.S. Attorney spokeswoman.
It was also shown Rascher took out and destroyed the returned unauthorized checks she made out to herself and family.
The tax invasion charge stemmed from Rasher's failure to claim the stolen income on her 2004 and 2005 federal tax forms.
News10/KXTV