Woman gets 6 years in prison for embezzlement

A South Elgin woman was sentenced Wednesday to six years in prison after pleading guilty to embezzling $1.5 million from the Streamwood landscaping firm where she worked as a bookkeeper.

Flora Gilman, 55, was a 17-year employee of Clauss Brothers Inc. until the company reported about $138,000 missing last July.

The firm had sales of about $9.2 million last year, according to Hoover's financial research.

Further investigation by the Cook County state's attorney's public corruption and financial crime unit revealed that between 2000 and July 2007 Gilman embezzled more than 10 times the amount originally reported stolen.

Gilman embezzled the money by writing company checks to cover bills from several credit card accounts she had opened, a spokesman from the Cook County state's attorney's office said Wednesday.

Though she initially pleaded not guilty, Gilman admitted to Streamwood police she had committed the thefts and said she was very remorseful for her actions, Streamwood police said in August.