Admitted embezzler accused of stealing from cancer-stricken friend
PUYALLUP, Wash. -- A Bonney Lake woman pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to embezzling from her company in order to pay restitution for an earlier embezzlement case.
Jeanette Sturtz is a wife, mother and grandmother. She's also a confessed embezzler, and she's now accused of embezzling from a woman in the late stages of cancer.
"Truly, this is a troubling criminal history with a troubling timeline," Pierce County Court Commissioner Megan Foley said of the case.
In 2011, Sturtz admitted to embezzling more than $10,000 while working as treasurer of her homeowners association in Bonney Lake.
She paid that money back, but prosecutors think she did so by embezzling from Blue Sky Landscaping of Puyallup, where she worked as a controller.
Lynell Swayze helped her get the job.
"She was just my friend for 17 years, and I thought she was there as a support system because her husband also had cancer," Swayze said.
Swayze has stage four breast cancer.
"I just found out that it spread to my liver and to my lymph nodes and my neck. So it's in my bones," she said.
And now she has to deal with the court proceedings against a former friend accused of embezzling $25,000 form Swayze's husband's landscaping company.
"I believe her family has paid restitution. She did not pay restitution, as far as I know," Swayze said.
Sturtz's attorney said his client's problems center around a gambling addiction, and he said she's now getting help from Gamblers Anonymous.
"She's addressing those issues responsibly. I think that is the important thing here," said attorney Jay Berneburg.
Even though Sturtz has never apologized to her, Swayze said she just wants to see her former friend get help for her gambling problems, whether it's from behind bars or in some other fashion.
Jeanette Sturtz is a wife, mother and grandmother. She's also a confessed embezzler, and she's now accused of embezzling from a woman in the late stages of cancer.
"Truly, this is a troubling criminal history with a troubling timeline," Pierce County Court Commissioner Megan Foley said of the case.
In 2011, Sturtz admitted to embezzling more than $10,000 while working as treasurer of her homeowners association in Bonney Lake.
She paid that money back, but prosecutors think she did so by embezzling from Blue Sky Landscaping of Puyallup, where she worked as a controller.
Lynell Swayze helped her get the job.
"She was just my friend for 17 years, and I thought she was there as a support system because her husband also had cancer," Swayze said.
Swayze has stage four breast cancer.
"I just found out that it spread to my liver and to my lymph nodes and my neck. So it's in my bones," she said.
And now she has to deal with the court proceedings against a former friend accused of embezzling $25,000 form Swayze's husband's landscaping company.
"I believe her family has paid restitution. She did not pay restitution, as far as I know," Swayze said.
Sturtz's attorney said his client's problems center around a gambling addiction, and he said she's now getting help from Gamblers Anonymous.
"She's addressing those issues responsibly. I think that is the important thing here," said attorney Jay Berneburg.
Even though Sturtz has never apologized to her, Swayze said she just wants to see her former friend get help for her gambling problems, whether it's from behind bars or in some other fashion.
Behind bars seems the likely choice. The article doesn't state whether or not she served time from the previous embezzlement case, but regardless she OBVIOUSLY didn't learn her lesson.
Anyone that allows that woman to be in charged of ANY money is a freaking idiot.
This is why gambling in the State of Washington should not be permitted. I have heard stories from people who lost everything due to gambling. Is gambling really a worth cause for our state? I know some of the money goes to our state and education but is it worth it? Who really benefits gambling in our state anyways? Gambling can ruin peoples lives!!!! I think lotteries are ok but casinos should not be permitted period!!!!
Seriously ridiculous comment lol
@michael-kawahara I'm excited to attend my first 'Texas Hold 'em tournament' next week at a local casino.. Gee I hope I don't end up with a gambling addiction and ruin the lives of everyone I love.
I'll bet $5.00 you will walk away a winner :)
@michael-kawahara Yes, ban gambling ban guns, ban cheeseburgers. People should no longer be held accountable for their actions. Let's place the blame on everyone else. Sounds real responsible......
She is lower than low. What a pathetic excuse for a human to not only steal in general, but to steal from your dying friend! OMG! Doesn't she have an ounce of empathy or self accountability! I don't buy the gamblers addiction BS. If she gambles, its her choice. When she ran out of money, instead of choosing to stop, she chose to steal.Â
"She's addressing those issues responsibly. I think that is the important thing here," said attorney Jay Berneburg.
Please, give me a break.
We will be hearing about Jeanette Sturtz in the near future in her next embezzler case. She has NO CLASS stealing from a dying cancer patentÂ
Having lost one wife to cancer and having my current wife be told to get her affairs
in order because her life expectancy was less than 9 weeks, I find this woman's inability
to come clean reprehensible. Her now former friend is dieing from cancer and no apologies
have been made.
The bright side of my story is that thanks to prayers, and modern medicine my wife has beenÂ
cancer free for over 12 years now. It was initially lung cancer, but it had metastasized onto
the surface of her brain. Gamma Knife surgery destroyed the growth on her brain with no
loss of  brain functionality and Chemotherapy somehow cured the cancer in her lungs.
Her Oncologist held very little hope of the Chemo to actually be a cure.  His initial
hope was that it would slow the growth of the cancer. He did not expect the chemo
to actually stop the cancer growth.
I prey that the victim in this story is able to survive her bout with cancer. Statistically, the
odds are not in her favor, but sometimes miracles do occur. My wife of twenty five years
is living proof that miracles can and do happen. I wish and pray for such a miracle for thisÂ
lady.
Low, just low. Stealing from a friend of over a decade, after she gave you a second chance no less. Scum.
Her attorney says the important thing is that she's handling it responsibly? Really? She hasn't apologized, she hasn"t paid back the debt and she's pleading not guilty. Is that attorney speak for "she's guilty and I've got nothin' good to say about her"?
@NWlife And Jeanette's friend has already forgiven her and has enough class to say that all she wants is for her "friend" to get the help she needs. To have not done it in the first place would have been the best thing. But, to not apologize to a dying friend? Deplorable.
Confessed embezzler, pleading NOT guilt! Give us all a break and quit wasting taxpayer money and time. If family paid back the money, then the crime must have been done, take yourself to jail! Once a thief, always a thief, what a way to treat friends.
Somehow, I don't believe her story of addiction. Anyway, I'm glad she's been caught. Too bad she didn't love her family enough to consider her actions. Also, why keep at something you aren't good at.
She's addressing those issues responsibly. I think that is the important thing here," said attorney Jay Berneburg.????  She is a person who has NOT taken responsibility for herself until she was/is in so much trouble!  Please do dump her on the taxpayer with jail time...I am more than willing to pay for her surveillance while donating 20 hours a week working with cancer patients.  She can clean, run errands for them and take them to their appointments.  She can also help the hospitals with volunteer hours!  Yep, I would pay someone to follow up with weekly interviews on her behavior.  Also making sure she has NO access to anyone's money!  Â
Really wanting to make some crass comment about how much time she should serve for that atrocious blouse...but I won't. ;]Â
*facepalm*
this is why a so called back up person on any kind of health issue HAS been needed... mainly when it comes to kids with cancer , a double take is sooo needed to stop these flops from hurting healthy people and kids due to theyr're mental issuse's and r getting away with. yep a real taxes break here..stop these freaks from the make beleave... and get the real ones in that need the real treatment rather then spend funds and little lives wasted on the morbid false reality''s of one seeking money in the medical filed , due to the lack of a (forth) opinion., too many money hungry people. too not have a at least a deep look into the issue alone..
what?
@Content_People Word salad and loose associations. But, come on, it's fun to try and decipher it! I think she is saying that it's a good idea to have a power of attorney for people with health issues to oversee sick people's welfare. Especially kids w/ cancer. That it would protect the sick people from being taken advantage of by people with mental issues (like the lady in the story), and having the exploiters get away with it.Â
Not sure about the "stop these freaks from the make beleave", but I think here she means that we should make sure that only the people who really need mental help get it, not those who are faking it. Not sure about the "(forth) opinion. And not quite sure what the last sentence means.Â
Or, I could be way off! LOL
Robbing from Peter to pay Paul. Not very bright.
She needs to go to Embezzlers Anonymous.  She's embezzling something in the photo! At court, no less! Once, twice, three times an embezzler..  Embezzler is just kinda fun to say...
Sturtz needs to accept total responsibility for the embezzlements, and needs real help for her gambling addiction.
If that means jail time, then so be it.