A senior accountant at the Illinois Medical District Commission pleaded guilty Monday to stealing nearly $130,000 from the agency over a 15-month period starting in 2014.
Cynthia Fernandez-Alonso, 42, of Berwyn pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Fernandez-Alonso worked as a senior accountant for the Medical District Commission, a government agency that receives federal funds to facilitate collaboration among Near West Side medical, health and social service agencies, according to a statement from federal prosecutors.
Her responsibilities at the commission’s office at 2100 W. Harrison included authorizing payments from the commission’s BMO Harris bank account to outside vendors, including Constellation Energy, the district’s electrical and natural gas provider.
Between February 2014 and April 2015, Fernandez-Alonso directed payments from the commission’s bank account into two personal checking accounts, according to the criminal complaint. She recorded the payments, but attributed them to Constellation Energy.
Overall, she made 32 separate direct deposits into her Bank of America and Chase Bank accounts, totaling $129,487, according to prosecutors. On Dec. 10, 2014, she made one such transfer of $4,852 and then spent $2,847 at Kay Jewelers, the complaint alleges.
She is schedule to be sentenced Feb. 22, and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, plus mandatory restitution.
