The woman accused of embezzling nearly $1 million from a Creston construction company pleaded not guilty Wednesday in a San Luis Obispo courtroom.
Joy Noel Wilde, 41, is charged with 21 felony counts of grand theft by embezzlement and forgery.
Investigators say while working as a bookkeeper for G. Wiemann Construction, Wilde forged and deposited 63 company checks totaling $975,000 into her own bank account.
The thefts were alleged to have occurred over a three-year period from February 2016 to July 2019, but investigators say the business owner didn't discover the criminal activity until this past July.
Wilde was arrested last week and is currently in custody at San Luis Obispo County Jail with bail set at $200,000.
Prosecutors are asking for her bail amount to be increased to $460,000, because they say Wilde is a flight risk.
A hearing on that matter is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 15.
