Former Accountant at Viking Pavers Arrested for $800,000 Embezzlement
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RICHMOND — An accountant who formerly worked for Viking Pavers Inc. remains in custody at the West County Detention Facility. Richmond PD arrested Angela Fae Brown, 53, a resident of Olivehurst, for embezzlement and other financial crimes. Bond for release from custody was set at $2 million.
Brown became the subject of an investigation, after a company manager became suspicious of fraud. Richmond police investigated. The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office helped with financial forensics analysis. Turns out more than $800,000 was embezzled from Viking Pavers.
Brown was arrested on April 19. She is charged with committing six felonies, between September 2017 and November 2022. Her charges include grand theft, money laundering, identity theft, and false personating. Brown is also charged with concealing property with intent to evade tax. Plus, she faces a special allegation for aggravated white-collar crime.
Investigators determined how the financial fraud was committed. In a prepared statement the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office said. “Brown used her accounting skills to exploit financial vulnerabilities in the company. She enriched herself for nearly five years. Brown’s trusted employee status and access to financial controls allowed her to conceal her embezzlement scheme for a long time.”
Brown allegedly pretended she was the owner of Viking Pavers. A fraudulent account was created with a payment processing service—linked to her personal account. Hundreds of fraudulent invoices were paid online by Viking Pavers into Brown’s personal account.
