Margaret Jacovelli, 48, of Kilwinning, Ayrshire, stole a total of almost £150,000 from a branch of Together Energy and Hayward Contracts Ltd between January and July 2022.
Evidence gathered by prosecutors at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) showed she twice abused her position as a finance administrator to direct funds into the bank accounts of her family members before the money was then deposited into her own accounts.
Jacovelli began embezzling money from her employers at Clydebank-based Together Energy days before it was forced to go into administration.
At Dumbarton Sheriff Court, she was placed under supervision for two years after pleading guilty to two charges of embezzlement.
The accused was also ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work and made subject of a restriction of liberty order for a period of six months.
Anne-Marie Hicks, Procurator Fiscal for North Strathclyde, said:
“As an employee of two companies, Margaret Jacovelli committed an appalling breach of financial trust.
“She flagrantly abused her position on both occasions to embezzle thousands of pounds.
“The financial welfare of both those businesses depended on the very funds that she stole.
“This case demonstrates that those who seek to exploit corporate funds for their own personal gain will be held fully accountable for their crimes.
“We will always prosecute in such cases when it is in the public interest and where there is evidence to do so.”
Jacovelli was a senior operational assistant with the Clydebank branch of Together Energy Ltd before she was made redundant in February 2022 when the business entered administration.
January 14 and February 18 that year, she made multiple refunds totalling £54,336.16 from the business to an account in the name of a family member, who did not have a company account.
Similarly, she made 68 payments totalling £74,028.26 to an account in the name of her former partner, who also did not have an account with Together Energy.
After the company entered administration, an official identified the credit payments which ultimately were transferred to an account held by the accused.
In April 2023, Jacovelli joined Ayrshire steel fabricators Hayward Contractors Ltd as an administrative assistant and was given access to the company’s bank account to pay supplier invoices.
She was dismissed from this job in August 2022 and weeks later a company employee identified that unauthorised payments totalling £19,946.22 had been paid into Jacovelli’s bank account.
Subsequently the police were informed and she was arrested.
Out of the money which was stolen, £60,000 was never recovered.