Solon woman charged with embezzling $156,000

A Solon woman was charged in federal court with embezzling $156,000 from a fund established on behalf of someone entrusted to her care.

Teresita Sidoti, 52, was charged via criminal information with bank fraud and filing false tax returns. 

Sidoti worked as a caregiver for Noel Zugay and was the trustee of the Noel Zugay Supplemental Needs Trust. From 2009 through 2015, Sidoti devised a scheme to defraud the trust of funds held at Huntington Bank for Zugay’s benefit.  Sidoti used those funds for her personal benefit. She also diverted deposits that should have been to the trust account into her own personal account, according to the information. 

In total, Sidoti embezzled approximately $156,949, according to the information. 

Sidoti also failed to claim some of this income on her tax returns between 2011 and 2014, according to court documents.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.  In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Kall, following an investigation by the FBI and IRS – Criminal Investigations. 

An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.