Restitution ordered for embezzlement
ELKHORN — When Jerry Sjoberg was in college, one of his professors told him he should work 40 hours a week to do well but strive for 60 hours if he really wanted to succeed.
Sjoberg took the advice and worked 60-hour weeks most of his life, sacrificing time with his family to turn his company, Home Design Manufacturing in Fontana, into a success.
But years of his hard work and sacrifice ended up into someone else's wallet.
Sjoberg's mistake, the businessman said, was to trust an employee who seemed hard-working and honest. He lost more than $900,000.
On Tuesday, former employee Kari Sue Clark-Branton, 40, Delavan, was ordered to pay Sjoberg more than $960,000 in restitution. She was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison followed by 2 1/2 years of extended supervision and 10 years probation.
"Kari's theft wiped out years of my hard-earned progress," he said. "The effect is certainly devastating monetarily but also devastating emotionally."
Clark-Branton was responsible for accounts payable and receivable at Home Design Manufacturing from 1992 to 2008. Sjoberg told police his accountant reviewed his business records back to 2001 and found more than $800,000 missing.
The accountant found about $498,500 in checks were written to Clark-Branton from 2001 to 2008 and about $413,500 in checks were written to a horse business owned by Joanne Anderson, who left the company after being accused of making unauthorized charges on the company's credit card.
Clark-Branton told police she wanted her friend to realize her lifelong dream of showing horses, according to the criminal complaint. She also told police she overpaid herself in paychecks and bonuses.
To cover up the thefts, Clark-Branton printed checks and forged Sjoberg's signature. Then she would go back to the computer that generated the checks and change the records from her name to a legitimate company's.
In court Tuesday, Clark-Branton apologized to friends and family. She did not address Sjoberg or apologize to her fellow employees at Home Design Manufacturing, some of which were present.
Defense attorney Jeffrey Hahn argued this was Clark-Branton's first offense and she did not pose a threat to society.
Assistant District Attorney Diane Donohoo said it was a purely greed-motivated act.
"I hope she doesn't try to present herself to this court as Robin Hood, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor," Donohoo said. "Robin Hood was a thief too; he was a criminal as well."
After the hearing, Sjoberg said honesty is still the best policy. But he urged employers to check their records and to not trust any employee.
"Nobody wins in something like this," he said.
Jul 15, 2009 at 2:16 p.m.
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If you look at the WI Circuit Court website - there are still charges pending against Kari, her husband and the horse friend. There is a 12-day jury trail scheduled for late August/early September. On step at a time. 2.5 is an extremely light sentence - however, it was her first time. I AM NOT CONDONING HER ACTIONS, however - the system is the flaw here, look how many people here in Wisconsin with 5, 6, 7, 8 and more DUIs who have served little or no time. It will be interesting to see what becomes of the other people involved, in particular her husband. There is no way he couldn't have known the extra money wasn't coming from her secretary position. They live in a trailer - where did the money go? I'm betting it's still out there, or at least a good portion. Kari is also completely uneducated (we went to the same high school) - my understanding is that once she begins working again, she can petition the court to have the $15K reduced and based upon her salary. Just like child support - restitution is capped.
Jul 10, 2009 at 10:20 a.m.
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At my math, with the judges stipulation of $15,000 per year in restitution, it will take 64 years for her to pay that back...and the court system will not monitor after 10 years of probation is over.
I guess it pays to 'know people'.
I would like to tattoo a dollar sign to her forehead. or better yet, the word GREEDY!
Jul 9, 2009 at 1:39 p.m.
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If the embezzler was a banker, we'd bail her out and give her a bonus.
Jul 9, 2009 at 9:52 a.m.
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When are they gonna pick up JoAnn Anderson for her part in this? or her husband - You mean to tell me he did not know?
Jul 9, 2009 at 9:50 a.m.
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Her prison stay should be a lot longer. There is someone I know in prison for taking half that amount. And she is there for 8 years, no early release and 7 years supervision after that. What is wrong with this picture?
Jul 9, 2009 at 9:30 a.m.
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This woman is a piece of dung. And if her saintly family had any pride at all, they would mortgage their homes or do whatever it takes to make restitution NOW. Another example of people not taking responsibility for their actions. I also favor more prison time. How about this - she gets out of prison when her friends (who have obviously benefitted) and family finish paying back the victim. With interest and legal fees, of course. And if they can't or won't pay him back, well then TOO BAD, she stays in prison.
Jul 9, 2009 at 9:21 a.m.
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No kidding. Lets get her mug shot out there! Someone puhleeze! Oh, wait - the family must have ties with the local papers too.
Jul 9, 2009 at 9:18 a.m.
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Why is there no pic of this embezzler/former dairy queen??
Jul 9, 2009 at 7:48 a.m.
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Apparently it does pay to steal in Walworth County. Just prior to reading the sentence Judge Carlson went on to mention how wonderful her father was and the great contributions her family made to the county. I think it is pretty sad that she gets off the hook because her family history. I don't care if her parents were saints, it does not negate the fact that she stole nearly a million dollars from Mr. Sjoberg. Apparently in Walworth County it IS all about who you know. -and certainly her lack of an apology to the victim(s) shows her lack of morality; and would lead one to believe that her rate of recidivism would be very high. She is only sorry for the shame it caused her and her (supposed) all mighty family name.
Jul 9, 2009 at 12:23 a.m.
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BadgerFanMom: If I understood the case reports, the teacher never had the drugs around the students. The incident involved an exchange of drugs in the school parking lot in the evening ... no students were in the area. Hopefully, the teacher is getting help now and in the early stages of recovery.
Jul 8, 2009 at 11:31 p.m.
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how does the friend with the horse business not get any responsibility? you mean to tell me her friend just gave her almost a half million and she didnt have any clue to where it came from?? seriously?
Jul 8, 2009 at 11:23 p.m.
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She gets 2 1/2 years and Cocaine Katie only got 6 months for having drugs around children?? Somehow the justice system is wrong!
I don't think Kari should get off light either...but the drug charges should have netted more time! Goes to show it's who you know~!
Jul 8, 2009 at 11:17 p.m.
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Nice actions for a former "Dairy Princess" I see a Lifetime movie in the works!
Jul 8, 2009 at 10:49 p.m.
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If she nevers holds a job again or puts anything of value in someone elses name/trust (husband, partner,ect)......She can live "scott free" the rest of her life and literally laugh all the way to the bank!!!!
Others have/are doing this today. They have money judgements againist them, but since they are sharp enough to never put anything in thier name, they never pay it back....
Jul 8, 2009 at 10:46 p.m.
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If she does not keep up with her restitution plan, she does go to prison. Sorry if you don't like the law, but this is pretty much the way the law treats embezzlement anywhere in the US, and from the experience of an acquaintance, two and a half in the pen (federal, medium-security, accessory to tax fraud) is pretty significantly disruptive of one's life.
.
See
http://www.sdchamber.biz/pdf/embezzlemen...
for a dialog with a state prosecutor in South Dakota.
Jul 8, 2009 at 9:42 p.m.
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I will repeat: SHE STOLE NEARLY ONE MILLION DOLLARS. I don't care if its a non-violent crime. I don't care if putting her in prison for 20 years won't get one dime back, because guess what, Janesvillean, she isn't going to be paying anything back anyway. When are we going to start treating these people like criminals instead of traffic offenders?
Jul 8, 2009 at 8:33 p.m.
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takeabreath, these are non-violent crimes, and usually first offenses (it is really hard to get a job responsible for money if you already have a conviction). Also, restitution is the punishment, one with some hope of making the victim whole in the end. Sending the perp to prison for 20 years will not get one dime back, no matter how well it satisfies the punitive impulse.
Jul 8, 2009 at 7:47 p.m.
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It is absolutely amazing to me how employees who steal are given a light slap on the wrist, over and over again. This lady stole nearly $1,000,000 and was given 2 1/2 years? Are you kidding me? Oh, I forgot, she also has to pay it back. Oooohkay. Similar cases have happened in Milton and Lake Geneva. All women who rob their employers blind, in the Milton cases it was the schools, and again, those women were literally given a slap on the wrist.
To top it off, this low life scum of the earth doesn't have the guts to say anything to her victim, much less apologize. She apologizes to her friends and family? For what, getting caught?
Jul 8, 2009 at 7:33 p.m.
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2 1/2 years will hardly repair the damage done to this man's life. Hope all that money was worth your prison stay creep
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