A Manchester resident has pleaded guilty to charges related to two separate embezzlement schemes, according to an announcement from David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England.
Maria Higgins, 36, appeared before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford and waived her right to be indicted before entering her plea.
Court documents and statements indicate that between mid-2018 and April 2022, Higgins worked as a bookkeeper for New England Kitchen & Bath LLC in Glastonbury. During this period, she stole $504,807 by issuing company checks payable to herself—often marking them as “commission” or “bonus”—and using a signature handstamp belonging to the business owner. She also initiated wire transfers into accounts under her name, created a fictitious supplier for fraudulent billing purposes, used company debit cards for personal expenses, and diverted client payments directly to herself after overseeing legitimate construction projects.
From February 2023 through April 2024, Higgins was employed as an accounting manager at PVC Solutions, Inc., a Danbury-based producer and distributor of PVC products. In this role, she stole $356,181 by issuing checks payable to herself, setting up duplicate vendor payment templates for wire transfers into her personal account, creating fictitious suppliers for fraudulent billing, and paying personal expenses with company funds. She manipulated accounting records at the company to hide these activities.
Authorities said Higgins did not report approximately $768,650 of stolen income on her federal tax returns from 2018 through 2023. This resulted in a tax loss of $167,831 to the Internal Revenue Service.
Higgins pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of stolen money—which carries up to ten years in prison—and tax evasion—which carries up to five years’ imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for December 2.
She has agreed to pay full restitution to both affected companies and the IRS. Higgins is currently released on a $50,000 bond while awaiting sentencing.
The Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser is prosecuting the case.
