Christina Joyner, 48, of Rio Rancho, NM, was sentenced to 24 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $2 million in restitution to her former employer, after she pled guilty to wire fraud on Sept. 2, 2022.
Alexander M.M. Uballez, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced the sentence Aug. 22.
According to court records, from approximately July 2014 through September 2021, Joyner used her position as bookkeeper for Quanz Motor Car Company, doing business as Quanz Auto Body, to defraud the company of more than $2 million.
Joyner accomplished this by issuing checks to herself and coding them to give the appearance they were for legitimate business expenses, using company credit cards to make personal, online purchases, retaining money from cash transactions and creating fraudulent pay stubs for her husband that were used as proof of income to obtain loans.
Joyner maintained email reminders to herself to modify entries in the accounting software and manipulated the software to conceal her actions.
Joyner’s employer completely trusted her with the company’s finances, as well as the employees’ personal information, and one reported her abuse of their trust “has hurt far worse than any financial impact has.”
Joyner blamed her deceased husband’s addiction for her theft; however the investigation revealed Joyner used the money to fund both her and her husband’s lifestyle.
Upon her release from prison, Joyner will be subject to three years of supervised release and must complete 60 hours of community service.
The Albuquerque Resident Office of the U.S. Secret Service investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Brawley is prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Mexico
