HILO — A former bookkeeper for Day-Lum Rentals and Management in Hilo was indicted Wednesday for allegedly embezzling more than $50,000 from the company.
The indictment charges 37-year-old Tamara Gayden of Hilo with first-degree theft, a Class B felony punishable by up to 10-years imprisonment. The document said the alleged thefts occurred between Jan. 1, 2013, and Jan. 31, 2014.
A bench warrant has been issued for Gayden’s arrest, and bail was set at $5,000.
According to Nancy Cabral, Day-Lum president and principal broker, it was discovered in January 2014 that six checks totaling $15,500 were stolen.
“That was the initial number of checks we located, and we worked it out for her paying us back in the form of a trade. And I felt sorry for her, so I didn’t proceed with legal action at that point, although I did consult with the police,” Cabral said. “And then we found additional checks. The total with all of that is about $54,000. Because of that, the magnitude of it — and her family has expressed interest in paying it back, but that hasn’t happened — we needed to move onward.”
Cabral said Gayden was terminated in February 2014, and the additional thefts were found in May 2014.
“Meanwhile, I have paid it all back into the company; that’s been all paid back,” Cabral added. “So all of our customers and clients are whole. There’s no one who’s missing any money.”
According to her Facebook page, Gayden is now an assistant manager for 7-Eleven. She didn’t return a message left early Thursday afternoon by press time.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.