Douglas County prosecutors say an Omaha woman stole more than $1 million from her employer over a period of several years.
Douglas Co. Judge Derek Vaughn sets 79-year-old Anne Carbullido's bond at $100,000 – 10%.
She's accused of embezzling more than $1.3 million from the company she worked for, Travel Faire, over an 8 year period. Court documents say an audit discovered that she was writing checks to “cash” for thousands of dollars at a time, and then using that money to gamble at Ameristar and Horseshoe casinos in Council Bluffs.
Her defense argued for a lower bond because she has cancer and is going through chemotherapy.
"I’m definitely looking forward to getting discovery, going over the numbers, it's a lot of money, and I want to see the documentation for sure,” said Matt Burns, Carbullido’s attorney.
Lorelle Mueting, the Program Director for Prevention Services at Heartland Family Services, says gambling addiction can be a hidden addiction. She wants family and friends to watch for warning signs if they suspect a problem such as being detached from family, less production at work, and wanting to always be around a casino or keno parlor.
"So people suffer a lot in silence not really knowing what to do and just thinking they should be able to know when to stop doing this, and when in reality when it becomes an addiction they can't, they can't stop," Mueting explained.
Carbullido's charged with 4 counts of theft by deception, and faces up to 80 years in prison if convicted. She posted 10% of the $100,000 bond on Friday.
If you or you suspect someone is dealing with a gambling problem there's a 24-hour Crisis Hotline at 866-322-1047.
For more information visit: http://www.heartlandfamilyservices.org
