Former accountant charged with embezzling nearly $80K pleads not guilty

A 43-year-old Withee woman charged with theft in a business setting after she's accused of embezzling nearly $80,000 from her former employer has pleaded not guilty.

Kim Poirier is free on $1,000 signature bond and has been ordered to have no contact with her former employer.

According to court documents, Poirier was employed as an accountant for a Weston business from January 2016 to February 2017.

During that time, investigators said Poirier would write and cash checks from the business account to herself.

Court documents state the amounts varied, but most of the checks were great than $1,000 – some of the amounts were $3,468.46, $4,768.94, and several checks for $2,500.

During an interview with investigators, Poirier said she began taking the money “simply to stay a float” citing a family member's medical problems. Poirier said she intended to repay everything and even offered to help the businesses owner go through the account to determine what she had taken. The owner declined her offer.

Poirier said she was paid $16.10 per hour, but it was not enough to cover all of the bills.

She was terminated on Feb. 3, 2017.

She's scheduled to learn if her case will head to trial July 20.

She'll return to court next month for a clerical court appearance.