Kalispell Finance Manager Pleads Guilty in $159,000 Check Scheme

Missoula, MT – In a shocking case of corporate theft, 58-year-old Teri Anne Bell, a former finance manager for Kalispell firearm manufacturer Falkor SID Inc., has pleaded guilty to stealing approximately $159,000 in a check scheme.

According to a statement from U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich, Bell, 58, of Columbia Falls, admitted to using pre-signed checks to make payments to herself and her creditors, falsifying accounting records to cover her tracks.

The scheme, which unfolded between May 2018 and December 2021, saw Bell using her access to Falkor’s bank account and accounting software to embezzle funds for personal expenses, including hotels in Las Vegas and at Quinn’s Hot Springs, retail and liquor stores, collection agencies, and streaming services.

Bell’s scheme was uncovered in the fall of 2021, after Falkor’s owners suspected foul play and conducted a financial audit. The audit revealed 45 unauthorized transactions totaling $159,131, leading to Bell’s arrest and subsequent guilty plea.

Bell faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Sentencing was set for October 8, with U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy to determine the final sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karla E. Painter, with the FBI and Flathead County Sheriff’s Office conducting the investigation.