Bookkeeper arrested on suspicion of embezzling more than $1 million
On Monday morning, Elizabeth Edith Shaw, 68, was booked into the San Luis Obispo County Jail on suspicion of her embezzling more than one million dollars from her former employer, Winsor Construction, over a twelve year period. Shaw was a bookkeeper for the Cambria-based business, according to reports.
On April 19, 2017, the district attorney’s office filed a criminal complaint alleging twelve counts of felony grand theft by embezzlement for conduct spanning twelve years, and associated enhancements for theft of more than $500,000. An arrest warrant was issued upon filing of the complaint.
Monday morning, Shaw turned herself into the county jail in lieu of posting one million dollars bail. It is anticipated she will be arraigned on the charges later this week. If convicted of all charges, Shaw faces a maximum of sixteen years and four months in state prison.
“Theft committed by those in positions of trust are especially troubling, particularly when it involves this level of taking over such an extended period of time from a local business,” said District Attorney Dan Dow. “Our Major Fraud Unit stands ready to aggressively prosecute these and other similar criminal breaches of fiduciary duty”.
The prosecution of Shaw is the result of a ten-month investigation by the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department and San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office.
