By Shereen Siewert | Wausau Pilot & Review
A Wausau man accused of siphoning tens of thousands of dollars from a health care company was convicted this week of a reduced charge after paying restitution and writing a letter of apology to the victim.
Christopher Gustafson, 49, was the former CEO of the company when he wrote thousands of dollars in unauthorized checks to himself over a five-month span, investigators said. He was charged in August 2022 with theft in a business setting, a felony, following an investigation prompted by the owner and medical director of the company.
In addition to the checks discovered, company officials say Gustafson and a former marketing director were soliciting payments from clients before they were due, were not renewing contracts and were entering contracts for shorter than the normal 12-month cycle.
On Tuesday, Gustafson appeared in Marathon County Circuit Court before Judge Rick Cveykus and pleaded no contest to a reduced charge. He was convicted of misdemeanor theft and was ordered to pay a $500 fine.
Online court records show restitution was paid up front, along with a letter of apology from Gustafson. No jail time or probation was ordered.
See more from our original reporting here.
