GRAND RAPIDS — A woman has agreed to pay $78,500 in restitution to her family business under the terms of a plea agreement resolving a significant embezzlement case.
Lynda Chris Gillson, 65, of Grand Rapids, entered an Alford plea Monday in a case that was initially alleged to have involved the theft of more than $200,000 from Glen’s Army Navy Store, where she served as the sole bookkeeper. The plea allows her to maintain her innocence while acknowledging that sufficient evidence exists to find her guilty of felony theft.
Authorities said a review of financial records showed that Gillson was taking money in order to gamble and pay off credit card debts. Significant discrepancies were reportedly discovered in the books after Gillson was asked to resign in September 2018, but she denied the theft allegations.
The store has been a fixture in Grand Rapids since 1946, and it has been operated by the Eichorn family since 1974….
