GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. — An Albertville woman has been arrested for embezzling $60,000 from her former employer, Sunrise Industries Inc., officials said.
Julie Marion, 41, was identified by police following a report from the business on November 18. Investigators discovered that a series of missing transactions from the company’s account were traced back to Marion.
Sunrise Industries Vice President Greg Willis said Marion had joined the company in April 2024 to replace the retiring bookkeeper and took over independently in January 2025. Problems arose when the company noticed financial records were months behind.
“It was obvious something was wrong because we couldn’t get her caught up. She was two or three months behind on all the financials,” Willis said.
He explained that his niece, hired to assist Marion, discovered a missing transaction that revealed funds had been transferred via ACH to Marion herself. A deeper investigation revealed the full amount of $60,000 was missing, a significant loss for the small company of 12 employees.
“It’s a hit, it’s a hit to the employees here too. With Christmas coming up, it makes it harder to pay bonuses,” Willis said.
Marion was arrested and charged with embezzlement. She is currently free on a $30,000 bond. Willis expressed hope that she will not commit similar crimes in the future.
