Jennifer Cormier, a 45-year-old resident of Naugatuck, has been sentenced to 25 months in federal prison for embezzling approximately $865,000 from her employer. The sentencing was announced by Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. The decision was handed down by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford.
Court documents and statements revealed that Cormier, who worked at a family-owned business in Naugatuck providing plumbing, heating, and air conditioning services, was responsible for bookkeeping and office tasks. Between 2017 and July 2023, she fraudulently created around 1,000 checks payable to herself and "cash," forging the company owner's signature or using their signature stamp. She then cashed or deposited these checks into her personal account and deleted the related transactions from the company's accounting system. This led to a total embezzlement of $865,106.17.
Judge Oliver ordered Cormier to make full restitution. She pleaded guilty to bank fraud on September 27, 2024, and is currently out on a $50,000 bond. Cormier is required to report to prison on May 9.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Naugatuck Police Department, with the case being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.