Madison Lake women accused of stealing $15,000 from former employer

A Madison Lake woman is accused of stealing thousands of dollars from her former employer.

Danielle Janis Stevenson, 31, was charged Thursday in Blue Earth County Court with felony counts of theft and theft by swindle.

A criminal complaint says Stevenson’s former employer called police in March 2023 to report $15,000 was missing from his business.

Stevenson worked at the business from May 2022 to February 2023 in accounts payable and human resources. Court documents say her job included taking cash payments from customers, counting the money, and verifying transactions.

The owner noticed Stevenson was entering the payment into Quickbooks but the money was not being posted to the bank accounts.

The complaint says Stevenson created a fictitious deposit slip in November 2022 dealing cash payments totaling $11,157.10, which was the exact amount that couldn’t be accounted for at that time.  Investigators say Stevenson created bogus entries in the business accounts showing money being moved from one business account to another.  Neither bank had a record of the money being deposited or transferred.

“Stevenson used 21 cash transactions of customers,” reads the complaint. “It was also clear that random digits were being  entered as part of established accounts and checks.”

The complaint says $14,795.93 was missing from cash payments and $274.16 was missing from petty cash.