Vermont Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud

A 47-year-old Berlin woman has pleaded guilty to wire fraud, admitting to embezzling substantial sums of money from a Central Vermont business and a local youth hockey association.

Michelle Rutledge, who served as office manager and bookkeeper for the Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury, pleaded guilty to using company credit cards without authorization and causing electronic transfers of cider mill funds to pay personal bills and expenses between June 2007 and June 2013.

Rutledge also stole from the Harwood Youth Hockey Association by using credit cards without authorization and paying personal bills with checks drawn against the association’s checking account.

As part of her plea agreement, Rutledge consented to the entry at sentencing of a forfeiture money judgment in an amount to be determined by the court.

Rutledge faces up to 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. The actual sentence will be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.

The case was investigated by the Vermont State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Rutledge is represented by Brooks McArthur, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples will prosecute the case.

Rutledge’s sentencing has been set for May 15, at which time District Judge J. Garvan Murtha will determine the exact amount of the forfeiture money judgment and impose Rutledge’s sentence.

Rutledge’s guilty plea marks the end of a lengthy investigation into her activities, which spanned more than a dozen years and involved the misuse of company funds for personal gain.

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