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CrimeOct 20, 2017
Shinola Employee Charged with Stealing Hundreds of Watches
According to charges filed in federal court, Judith Walker took the timepieces over a period of two years, sold them and kept the money for herself.
Detroit--A woman who worked for Shinola faces a federal wire fraud charge for allegedly stealing hundreds of watches from her Detroit-based employer over a two-year period and reselling them at a discounted rate.
Papers filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan allege that Judith Walker stole and resold timepieces from “at least” 2015 to Jan. 4 of this year and kept the proceeds for herself.
It was a text message sent late last year that is being used as the basis of the charge against her.
According to court documents, she sent a message via iPhone on Dec. 27, 2016, to an unidentified party that read: “Tell your boy I have another pink one with the diamond regular $2800 his price 1100.”
Walker faces one felony charge of wire fraud--financial fraud that involves the use of technology or telecommunications--and was charged not in an indictment but in a criminal information document, which means that a guilty plea is expected. Court documents show she is due to appear in front of a judge in federal court in Ann Arbor, Michigan next month.
There was no attorney listed as representing Walker at press time.
Shinola declined to comment on the case.
Court documents state that upon conviction, Walker will be required to forfeit any Shinola watches, plus any money or property obtained that can be traced to the money she made selling the watches.
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