Former Office Assistant for Autobody Business Sentenced for Embezzling $500,000 from Employer

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A former office assistant for Kim’s Autobody, Inc., of Springfield, was sentenced on July 7, for defrauding the business and its owners of approximately $500,000 over a five-year period. U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough ordered that Elaine Eddington, 54, of the 1100 block of N. Hill St., Springfield, serve 27 months (2 years, 3 months) in federal prison and pay restitution in the amount of $505,834. Following completion of the prison term, Eddington was ordered to remain on supervised release for three years. Eddington was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following the hearing.

On Mar. 3, 2017, Eddington pled guilty to three counts of mail fraud related to her embezzlement of funds while she was employed as an office assistant. As the office assistant, from 2009 to 2014, Eddington used her position to embezzle funds which she used to pay personal debts and expenses.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan D. Freres prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office; FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.