A Missouri woman has pleaded guilty to defrauding her employer of $3.8 million, sending shockwaves through St. Charles County. Bridget Thebeau, 45, admitted to five counts of wire fraud in U.S. District Court on Thursday, revealing the inner workings of a sprawling international embezzlement scheme.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reported that between January 2015 and March 2024, Thebeau used her role to orchestrate more than 200 fake purchase orders. She conspired with Chinese suppliers, tricking her employer into paying for nonexistent goods that were never meant to be delivered. Thebeau and her overseas partners enriched themselves while she forged documents like shipping labels and bills of lading to cover her tracks.
The company, a small family-run business that had employed Thebeau since 2002, suffered losses totaling at least $3,821,152. Her Chinese accomplices allegedly sent her over $2 million in kickbacks, rewarding her for facilitating the scam. The financial damage has derailed the retirement plans of the company’s owner, who now cannot afford to leave the workforce.
Thebeau is scheduled to be sentenced on September 11, 2025. She could face up to 20 years in prison and fines reaching $250,000. The investigation was a joint effort between the U.S. Secret Service and the Chesterfield Police Department.
