2 Women Steal $1 Million from Selah Fruit Company Using ‘Ghost’ Employees

Although the fraud was discovered last November, it took months to unravel the scheme, and now two women are likely facing charges.

The Zirkle Fruit Company in Selah discovered they've been defrauded over $1 million dollars by two women who set up fake employee accounts, and issued checks to people who never worked for the company.

According to KNDU-TV, Norma Garza and Maria Theresa Galarza worked for the company at their Paterson branch.

They apparently stole the money over a lengthy period of time by submitting time cards and payroll records for fake employees who never did any work. The names on the checks and records, says KNDU, belonged to family, friends and other people close to them.

The scheme was uncovered when a Finley ranch manager got ten checks for people who'd never worked for him. He called Zirkle, who began to comb through records, leading to the discovery. The company tells KNDU revisions and precautions are now being taken to ensure it doesn't happen again.