Woman pleads innocent to embezzlement

The Daily Inter Lake

A Kalispell woman accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars from a Kalispell law firm has pleaded innocent to embezzlement charges.

During her arraignment Thursday in Flathead County District Court, Kiersten Berdette Compofelice, 38, entered not-guilty pleas to felony theft by embezzlement and the unlawful use of a computer, also a felony.

According to court documents, Compofelice, who was arrested Feb. 4, used her position as the Lonnevik Law Firm's operations manager to forge $42,500 in checks between March 2008 and January.

Prosecutors allege that Compofelice made paper copies of the checks out to herself, forged a signature on them, and then doctored the law firm's account books to show that the checks had been written to legitimate vendors.

Compofelice also is accused of racking up $7,850 in personal purchases on a company credit card and electronically transferring $2,800 from the firm's bank accounts into her personal account.

The embezzled money came solely from the firm's accounts and does not affect the firm's clients, according to owner Tiffany B. Lonnevik.

Investigators believe Compofelice, who was hired at the law firm in March 2008, spent the embezzled money on personal purchases, including furniture and clothes.

The amount of money Compofelice is suspected of stealing could grow as the investigation continues, investigators said.

Lonnevik, who has hired a forensic accountant to determine the extent of the theft, said last week the total amount of what allegedly was taken has yet to be ascertained.

If convicted on both counts, Compofelice could face as long as 20 years in prison and more than a $50,000 fine. Her trial is scheduled to begin in June.