A woman from Oak Forest, Michelle Sopko, 46, was recently sentenced to eight years in prison for stealing $352,000 from the Palos Heights Fire Protection District, where she worked as a part-time bookkeeper. She admitted to the crime in a plea deal, and was immediately taken into custody following her sentencing. Sopko waved goodbye to her family before being escorted out of the courtroom.

The embezzlement occurred over a 30-month period between 2009 and 2012, involving 177 separate transactions. Prosecutors revealed that Sopko had been paying herself overtime she didn’t earn or qualify for. She was fired in December 2012 after the fire chief discovered she had forged the treasurer’s signature on a check without permission.

According to Assistant State’s Attorney Mike O’Malley, Sopko also created two "ghost" employees—two individuals who were not real staff members—and diverted their paychecks into her personal account. The money was used for groceries, clothing, mortgage payments, home repairs, and travel across several states, including Florida, Maryland, and Wisconsin.

O’Malley noted that while the couple’s combined income remained around $100,000 per year, their spending dramatically increased after the theft started. In 2009, they spent just under $90,000, but by 2012, their expenses had risen to over $211,000.

The Palos Heights Fire District faced financial consequences, including IRS penalties and having to take out a loan to purchase firefighting equipment instead of using available funds.

Sopko’s husband, who was a deputy fire chief in Oak Forest, was arrested in December 2013. However, Sopko initially claimed he wasn’t involved in the scheme. He was later removed from his duties but still holds the rank of lieutenant in the department and serves on the park district board.

The fire district has filed a lawsuit to recover the stolen money. According to attorney Sean Conway, Sopko has admitted to the allegations and is unable to repay the full amount. As a result, the district will receive $60,000 this week, followed by annual payments of $15,000 for the next four years.

Despite the sentence, Sopko’s family has offered an additional $120,000 in restitution. O’Malley described her actions as “systematic and calculated,” driven by greed. He emphasized that she deserves every day of her prison time.

Thanks Dan

For more information, check out previous posts on this topic HERE, HERE, and HERE.

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