KINGSTON -- The co-owner of a beauty spa Luzerne County is in hot water, accused of using thousands of dollars of company money on herself.
Kingston Police say Judith Cefaly of Mountain Top faces theft charges for stealing more than $100,000 from the Shakti Day Spa in Kingston.
Investigators first learned of the alleged crime, reportedly committed by Judith Cefaly of Mountain Top, back in July.
Cefaly's business partner at the spa told police he suspected Cefaly was using a large amount of company money on herself.
Molly Whalen of Kingston is a client and was upset hearing the news.
“It's frightening to think there's small, neighbor places are disrespectful and dishonest,” said Whalen.
According to court papers, the co-owner with the largest share of the company, Leon McLaughlin, told police that between 2010 and 2016, Cefaly had spent $918,968.53 belonging to Shakti.
Then in December, Cefaly admitted to police that she used the company debit card to make business and personal purchases.
Cefaly estimated she spent more than $100,000 of that money on herself and promised to pay it back.
She was charged with theft by unlawful taking.
No one answered at Cefaly’s home in Mountain Top.
Her neighbor says she sees Cefaly's family coming to and from the house, but doesn't know them well
“You know we're living here around 10 years or so, you know and they have kids in and out of there, teenagers and things like that but no they pretty much keep to themselves, you know what I mean,” said Esther Field.
Newswatch 16 did try to speak to co-owner Leon McLaughlin and were told he was out of town.
Judith Cefaly is scheduled to be back in court next month.