For letting podiatrist foot the bill, woman gets 8 years in prison

For the three years she worked for his Glen Ellyn podiatrist practice, Daniel O'Carroll said he went out of his way to help the single mother get on her feet.

He loaned her money, excused frequent absences and entrusted the employee with the daily operations of one of his two busy offices.

In return, 37-year-old Karen S. Albergo of Elgin pilfered $132,876.08 from O'Carroll during a 21-month span that ended last summer when the doctor uncovered the scheme.

Albergo was sentenced Monday to eight years in prison for the scheme. She faced either probation or up to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to felony theft during an earlier hearing.

Albergo will be paroled after serving half the prison term and then must begin paying restitution. In a tearful apology, the defendant promised the doctor she'd repay him every cent.

"I never meant for this to get so out of control," she said. "I had every intention of paying it back. It was only supposed to be a little bit. I got so far in, I couldn't get out."

In meting out the punishment, DuPage Circuit Judge Robert Anderson called the case "a tragedy" for both sides but said a prison term is warranted to deter others from similar brazen acts. Albergo also had a criminal record that included arrests for four retail thefts, deceptive practices and forgery.

Albergo said her bad behavior stemmed from alcoholism, the effects of an earlier abusive relationship and her fear that she'd lose custody of her children if she couldn't provide a good life.

Her attorney, Elizabeth Reed, a senior assistant public defender, sought a shorter prison term so that the single mother could go home to her family and start restitution.

But prosecutor Helen Kapas-Erdman characterized Albergo as a con artist who took advantage of her good-natured boss while writing 251 checks to herself for vacations, online dating, tanning, beauty services, bars and restaurants. Albergo also paid her rent, utilities and car with the stolen money.

"This defendant was obviously living the good life while it lasted," Kapas-Erdman said. "This wasn't an isolated incident. Everything that she did was fraudulent."

O'Carroll also testified Monday that he depends on his employees while he works six days a week seeing about 100 patients out of his offices in Glen Ellyn and Naperville. The doctor said Albergo not only took his money but also stole his faith in humanity.

"This is a woman that I wanted to help," he said. "All I got was a slap in the face. How she felt she was going to get away with this, year after year, I just can't fathom."

"She stole my trust and I will be forever defensive."