Atascadero woman accused of embezzling nearly $1 million from construction company

An Atascadero woman is accused of embezzling nearly $1 million from her employer.

Joy Noel Wilde, 41, was arrested Wednesday evening on the 11000 block of Wickson Way in Atascadero.

Wilde was the bookkeeper for a construction company in Creston.

In July, the owner of the construction company contacted the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office to report that the company’s bookkeeper had embezzled more than $47,000 from the company.

The owner said Wilde had taken a check made out to a vendor for the company, altered it and then deposited the amount into her personal bank account.

Following a three-month investigation, investigators uncovered more company checks that had been deposited into Wilde’s account.

Over a three-year period, investigators say, Wilde forged and deposited 63 company checks totaling $957,000 into her personal account.

Wilde was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of grand theft, embezzlement, forgery and attempted grand theft.

The investigation is ongoing.

KEYT 2019