Embezzlement Scheme Involved Gambling: Hinsdale Police

HINSDALE, IL — A woman accused of embezzling from a now-defunct Hinsdale real estate firm spent the company's money on international gambling websites, among other things, police say.

Wanda L. Bickerstaff, 62, of Downers Grove, is accused of felony theft at the former Chris Crawford Ltd at 22 W. First St., which was replaced by John Greene Realtor in 2018.

Patch obtained the police report through a public records request.

According to the report, Bickerstaff, the bookkeeper, proposed to her co-workers in late 2015 that they all take a $100 reduction each biweekly pay period because the business was struggling. Everyone agreed.

However, after two pay periods, Bickerstaff stopped reducing her paycheck by $100 while continuing to do so for everyone else, according to the report. That gained her an additional $5,100, police said.

When one of her co-workers owed the business for using the company car, she presented Bickerstaff a $500 check for the company, police said. Bickerstaff ripped it up and told the co-worker, "Christopher will never know," according to the report.

Bickerstaff had access to the company credit card, from which she spent nearly $2,000 on international gambling websites, police said.

Among the other unauthorized expenditures were a $121 online subscription for Resume Coach, which helps job seekers prepare resumes and cover letters, police said.

The owner, Christopher Crawford, told police he found problems with the books when he was looking to sell his business in 2018. He discovered the company's credit card was maxed out at $25,000, which he found odd because the card was rarely used, according to the report. He said he ran his business "super loose" within the office, but made it clear the card was for business use only, police said.

When Crawford asked Bickerstaff about the card issue, Bickerstaff said all the credit card bills had been shredded, police said. She then became uncooperative when he asked for the passwords to the business' online accounts, according to the report.

Bickerstaff's embezzlement involved a total of $21,860, police said.

In August 2019, police showed up at Bickerstaff's door, but she declined to be interviewed, saying she needed to speak with her lawyer, according to the report.

Her lawyer, Peter Beuke of Westmont, told police his client would not answer any questions.

Last month, a grand jury indicted Bickerstaff. She turned herself into authorities, police said.

Patch has left a message for comment with Beuke.