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Spring HVAC Company owners betrayed by trusted employee, nearly $1 million stolen

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Published  November 22, 2024 8:59pm CST
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 26 Houston

The Brief

    • Sonia Yvonne Rodriguez is sentenced to 23 months in prison for embezzling nearly $1 million from an HVAC company.
    • As office manager for 26 years, she admitted to diverting company funds meant for taxes into her account, causing substantial tax liabilities for the owners.
    • The case highlights the consequences of internal company theft, affecting the victims professionally and personally, and emphasizes the importance of vigilance in financial matters.

Spring - A 52-year-old woman has been sentenced to 23 months in federal prison for embezzling nearly $1 million from an HVAC company, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. 

Sonia Yvonne Rodriguez, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud on August 15, admitted to stealing $938,387.26 in business funds designated for federal tax payments between 2015 and 2020. U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett sentenced Rodriguez to prison time, followed by one year of supervised release.

Rodriguez, who worked as the office manager for the HVAC company for nearly 26 years, admitted to manipulating the company’s accounting software to divert funds into her personal bank account. By entering tax payments into the system and later clearing them from the check register, she was able to pocket the money over several years.

Picture of Sonia Rodriguez (left) and Karen Tipton (right). Rodriguez was found guilty of a wire fraud embezzlement scheme. She admitted to stealing the money from Tipton's business between 2015 and 2022. (Submitted photo)

At the sentencing hearing, the victim, Karen Tipton, told Fox 26 about the betrayal she felt from Rodriguez, whom she had considered one of her closest friends. Tipton and her husband would travel together with Rodriguez and her husband. 

"We presented her with the checks that she had been writing to herself, and she said, yeah, I did it. I stole it all," Tipton said.

Tipton, who co-owns the business with her husband, said the embezzlement happened for years before, and the amounts grew larger around 2015. She said that Rodriguez would quickly spend the stolen money. "If she wrote a check to herself, let’s say that check was $8,000, within a week, that $8,000 was gone," Tipton added. "I said, why, why would you do this to us? We would've given you the shirt off our back. Why would you do that? She said, "well, the devil made me do it." 

As a result of the theft, the Tiptons now face a substantial tax bill, with over a million dollars in back taxes owed. "We had plans to retire, but now we’ll have to work another 20 years to pay it off," Tipton said.

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While the Tiptons remain committed to their business, they expressed how the scheme has shaken their trust in others. "Do your own books. And if you can’t do your own books, definitely don’t take a word for it," Tipton advised other small business owners.

Rodriguez was allowed to remain on bond pending her surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. Once incarcerated, she will be required to pay restitution, which the Tiptons estimate to be approximately $500 per month after her release.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sherin Daniel and James Hu prosecuted the case.

Hamdani emphasized the importance of holding offenders accountable. "This sentencing sends a clear message that those who abuse positions of trust for personal gain will face serious consequences," he said. "Embezzlement schemes like this not only harm businesses financially but also shatter personal and professional relationships built on trust."