Bridgeport Woman Admits Embezzling From Shelton Travel Agency

Deirdre M. Daly, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTINA TARTAGLIO, 34, of Bridgeport, waived her right to indictment and pleaded guilty today before United States Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez in Hartford to one count of wire fraud related to her embezzlement from her Shelton employer.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2008 and 2011, TARTAGLIO was employed as a corporate travel consultant, office manager, and accounting assistant for a travel agency located in Shelton.  During that time TARTAGLIO embezzled from the travel agency by drafting refund checks from the agency to clients who were not due any refunds, forged the clients’ signatures, endorsed the checks, and then deposited them into her personal bank account.  Also, where a commission was due to the travel agency, TARTAGLIO entered all or part of the commission as a credit payable to a random client or a fictitious name and then wrote a check for the credit amount to that name.  She then endorsed each check and deposited it into her bank account.  She also created checks payable to vendors or suppliers for operating expenses, changed the payee on a check to a fictitious name created by her, endorsed and then deposited the checks in her account.

Through this scheme, TARTAGLIO embezzled $94,237.05.

TARTAGLIO is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Robert N. Chatigny on September 3, 2013, at which time she faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

This matter is being investigated by the United States Secret Service, the Shelton Police Department and the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force, which includes federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Felice M. Duffy.

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U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
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thomas.carson@usdoj.gov