Woman Avoids Prison for Bridgestone-Firestone Embezzlement

An American woman that embezzled more than US$200,000 from Bridgestone Firestone over a nine-year period will avoid spending time in prison after pleading guilty to theft and two counts of forgery. Janet Lazdins from Indianapolis pleaded guilty in August to taking around $215,000 from the company between 1997 and 2006, and on December 15, Madison Superior Court 3 Judge Thomas Newman on Monday gave her a three-year suspended prison term and ordered her to spend three years on probation.

If Lazdins successfully completes probation she will not face penalties for the two forgery counts, each of which carry a sentence of two to eight years. She can also request that a lowering of the felony theft conviction to a misdemeanour once she completes probation.

According to the information contained within a probable cause affidavit, officials at a branch of the Star Financial Bank contacted Madison County sheriff’s detectives in July 2006 after they became suspicious of deposits entering Lazdins’ account. When police interviewed Lazdins, who worked in the accounts payable office at Bridgestone/Firestone, she admitted to taking the funds. She told detectives she started taking cheques after she encountered financial difficulties. According to court officials, Lazdins has since repaid the funds.