Oregon bookkeeper accused of theft, faking her death

BEND, Ore. — State police arrested a former Central Oregon bookkeeper accused of faking her death after embezzling from an employer.

A Deschutes County grand jury indicted Christine Marie Harris, 36, on charges of aggravated theft and forgery, police said. She was taken into custody Friday in Prineville and booked into the county jail. Bond was set at $50,000.

Harris worked for UDI Corp. in Redmond. Company president Steve Kulin, who is legally blind, told The Oregonian the alleged fraud started in 2009 and included roughly 200 checks.

Kulin said that on Sept. 4, his company received a note from Harris’ email account, purportedly written by Harris’ mother to notify the company of Harris’ death.

The news, he said, devastated his family.

Days later, however, a fill-in bookkeeper discovered a check drawn on the company’s account for more than $3,000. Harris had cashed the check, he said.

That same day, he said, Harris deactivated her Facebook page. “Which is hard to do,” Kulin pointed out, “if you’re dead.”

Kulin went to Oregon State Police on Sept. 9, after his company found at least $18,000 was missing.

Oregon State Police Detective Andrea Vaughn determined that $227,000 had been stolen from the company. Vaughn arrested Harris.