Bookkeeper denies swiping $384,000 from Libertyville landscaping firm

A Grayslake woman pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges she stole more than $384,000 while working as a bookkeeper for a Libertyville landscaping company.

Denise Stemo, 42, faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of felony theft.

Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Steven Derue said Stemo, of the 300 block of Normandy Lane, worked for Casey's Landscaping from 1999 until last year.

The owner of the business found a check written to one of his regular suppliers in an amount much larger than he usually pays and called the bank to verify it, Derue said.

The bank verified the amount, Derue said, but informed the business owner that the check had actually been written to pay a credit card bill Stemo had.

Derue said an investigation revealed that Stemo had been writing checks on the company accounts to pay her bills, then changing the payee names to company suppliers when they were returned.

A total of 105 such checks were written over the years, Derue said, totaling $384,253.

Circuit Judge John Phillips scheduled a trial of the case for Sept. 28 and told Stemo to return to court Sept. 11.