Clearwater woman arrested for stealing more than $700K from Palm Harbor employer: Deputies

CLEARWATER, Fla. - A Clearwater woman was arrested for stealing more than $700,000 from her employer over six years, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. 

Detectives with PCSO's economic crimes unit said Monika Hladik, 41, is accused of writing company checks to herself and then cashing them into her bank account. 

The sheriff's office said they first received a complaint from the president of Inspecs USA, which is an eyewear manufacturing company based in Palm Harbor. The president told investigators that Hladik, who was the company's managerial accountant, had written company checks to herself and forged his signature. 

Courtesy: Pinellas County Jail. 

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Hladik had been employed with Inspecs USA for 12 years and was responsible for writing checks and bringing them to the company's president for his signature, according to authorities. She was never authorized to write checks to herself or sign them. 

PCSO officials said they learned Hladik wrote 232 checks to herself between 2016 and 2022, all different amounts that totaled $710,531. She deposited them into her Wells Fargo bank account.

Hladik is also accused of manipulating QuickBooks accounting entries to cover up the fact that she was taking money for several years. 

Deputies said she was arrested Thursday on one count of scheme to defraud. 

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