Employee Accused of Stealing to Pay Bills

Mount Pleasant police say a Lake Geneva man stole over $6,000 from his employer over the course of a year to pay bills.

Gregg Goldstein, 54, is facing a single felony charge of theft - business setting. Charges were filed against him Aug. 5, but his initial appearance Thursday was postponed until Aug. 22 so he can get a lawyer.

According to the criminal complaint, Mount Pleasant police were called to a local business in June for a report of theft by an employee. The business was alerted after a vendor with whom the company does business called because their account statement showed a balance due even though they said they paid in full in cash.

The payment was given to Goldstein, the vendor told the business owner. Officers were provided a copy of the account statement, the complaint reads, that shows the missing funds.

Police say the owner had a conversation with Goldstein who admitted to taking the money because he needed to pay some bills. The defendant told his boss he had every intention of paying the money back, but never did. Additional funds might also be missing from other accounts Goldstein handled, the business owner said, but he hadn't gone through everything at the time of the report.

According to the criminal complaint, Goldstein did supply a written statement that reads, "I Gregg Goldstein kept money that I received for (the company). I had every intention of repaying but that did not happen. I also have not turned in all paperwork which was meant to be turned in. The money I received was from (the vendor) and the paperwork from from (another company)."

If convicted, Goldstein faces up to six years and/or up to $10,000 in fines.