Woman Embezzled Nearly $400,000 from Montco Employer, DA Says

Darby Ibarguen, 45, of Chesterbrook.

A Chesterbrook woman is facing more than 350 felony charges after she allegedly stole more than $393,000 from Apparel Business Systems in Plymouth Meeting.

Darby Ibarguen, 45, has been charged with multiple felony counts of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, forgery, theft by unlawful taking and theft by deception, in connection with the investigation.

Plymouth Township police were contacted by Apparel Business Systems after an internal audit allegedly revealed suspected embezzlement by Ibarguen, who had been hired as the company’s controller in March 2015. The ensuing investigation revealed that between September 2015 and March 2020, Ibarguen had forged checks and made unauthorized payments from company accounts totaling $393,496.87, according to the district attorney’s office.

Investigators said that Ibarguen used various methods to defraud the company, including:

  • Forging 21 checks to herself, totaling $19,000.45
  • Using company accounts to make 92 payments on her credit cards, totaling $74,778.46
  • Using company accounts to pay her cable bill 26 times, totaling $5,065.46
  • Transferring funds directly into her account 95 times, totaling $181,895.89
  • Increasing her own bi-weekly salary, totaling $112,756.61

Ibarguen was taken into custody and arraigned on Dec. 7 by Magisterial District Judge Francis Bernhardt III, who set bail at $400,000 unsecured. Ibarguen was then released from custody, and her next court appearance is a preliminary hearing at 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 22 in front of Judge Bernhardt.

(All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using court records and the affidavit of probable cause.)

See also:

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Montco Man Charged With 100 Counts Of Possession Of Child Pornography

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