Yes, she stole a million-plus

[RandyW]

Yes, she stole a million-plus

By GRETA CUYLER

Union Leader Correspondent

3 hours, 34 minutes ago

GOFFSTOWN – Soft-spoken and polite, Linda Bevins doesn't look like a person who could steal more than $1 million from her employer, a nonprofit serving children and adults with disabilities.

But on Friday, Bevins, 51, said as payroll supervisor for Crotched Mountain Foundation in Greenfield, she did just that every two weeks for three years, funneling company money into her personal bank accounts. She said she doesn't remember how much money she took, but doesn't dispute her former employer's estimate of $1.3 million.

Linda Bevins, 51, is accused of stealing $1.3 million from her former employer, Crotched Mountain Foundation in Greenfield. (GRETA CUYLER)

Bevins began taking money during the summer of 2004 after she said cancer spread to her liver and doctors told her the prognosis wasn't good. She said the money went toward at least $200,000 in medical co-payments on her cancer treatment, her daughter's wedding -- including a custom wedding dress -- and two cruises she took her family on. She said she also donated money to churches and other organizations.

"My daughter was getting married; I wanted her to have a nice wedding," Bevins said. "I had nothing. It all went to cancer. I thought I was going to die. I had a rough life most of my life, I wanted to have a good life. I wanted my husband to have peace of mind."

Crotched Mountain Foundation has filed a lawsuit against Bevins, her daughter, Holly Sears, and husband, Michael Bevins, who co-owns property with his wife. The criminal investigation into the allegations is ongoing and any possible indictments in the case aren't expected until a grand jury convenes in September. Bevins said neither her daughter nor husband knew anything about the theft. She acknowledged that sometimes she would ask Sears, 26, of Greenfield, to cash a check for her.

"We were very close; she never questioned anything," Bevins said of her daughter.

She said bi-annual company audits never caught onto the fraud, nor did a fellow employee who helped Bevins with the payroll.

"It bothered me a lot because I was not the type of person to do that," Bevins said. "I would get depressed that this was happening and I'd say