A former West Fraser Paper Mill employee has been charged with stealing thousands of dollars in payroll.
The Columbus County Sheriff’s Office made the arrest after an investigation into alleged embezzlement involving payroll manipulation.
Sylvia Lathanda Allen, 49, of 509 Glenwood Dr., Elizabethtown, was charged with embezzlement on Jan. 13, according to court documents and the sheriff’s office. She was placed under a $100,000 unsecured bond.
She is accused of stealing $53,852.86 by manipulating payroll records, warrants show.
On Dec. 30, the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office received a report from a representative of West Fraser Paper Mill regarding suspected embezzlement by an employee. The reporting party advised that the alleged embezzlement had been identified through an internal company investigation and was referred to law enforcement for further review.
Detectives with the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division initiated a comprehensive investigation using information provided by the business, including internal documentation, payroll records, timelines, and statements related to suspected payroll irregularities. Through the course of the investigation, detectives identified evidence indicating that job codes within the payroll system had been manually altered, resulting in improper payments.
“This was a detailed investigation, and our Criminal Investigations Division did exactly what they’re trained to do—follow the evidence and do the job the right way.” said Sheriff Bill Rogers. “I’m proud of the work our detectives put into this case and the professionalism they showed from start to finish.”
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