Wisconsin payroll worker arrested in alleged $1M scheme

GLENDALE, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin health-care system says a former employee has been arrested in an alleged $1 million payroll scheme.

Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare said Thursday its financial department discovered a payroll specialist was manipulating the accounts of hundreds of employees.

The system says the alleged scheme mainly affected the hospital system, but there may be a tax impact on employees whose accounts were manipulated.

Wheaton Franciscan says it has since fired the employee. Glendale police on Thursday arrested the 49-year-old woman.

The Journal Times reports the system alleges the payroll specialist added false hours — mostly paid time off hours — to the accounts of random associates. She would then make an immediate payout to her bank account for the value of the extra paid time off and delete the record.