Everett woman who embezzled over $2M gets prison time

SEATTLE  — A woman who embezzled $2.4 million while working as a bookkeeper and controller for an Everett battery company has been sentenced to three years in prison.

The U.S. Justice Department says 65-year-old Judith Hutchinson was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Seattle Friday. She must also pay back the money she took from the company.

Court documents say Hutchinson admitted that over seven years while employed at All Battery Sales and Services, Inc. she used company money to pay personal expenses, including expensive jewelry, vacation rentals, vehicles and other items.

Court records say Hutchinson spent more than $2,000 a day on online shopping, hiding the embezzlement by creating false entries in company reports.

The embezzlement was discovered by a co-worker and the company reported it to law enforcement in August 2016.