A bookkeeper employed by a Kalispell firm is accused of using a company credit card to make thousands of dollars in personal purchases over the past two years.  

Santa Samantha Giarmo, 47, of Kalispell pleaded not guilty to theft by embezzlement before Judge Paul Sullivan in Flathead County District Court on June 18. An omnibus hearing in the case is scheduled for Aug. 5 with a pretrial conference to follow on Sept. 29.  

The alleged scheme fell apart in late April, when one of Giarmo's employers received a letter from the Montana Department of Corrections seeking to garnish her wages, according to court documents. That led the employer to discover Giarmo, hired two years earlier, was on probation for a prior embezzlement conviction.  

Given the revelation, the employer audited the purchases Giarmo made with a company-issued credit card. The review turned up unauthorized purchases between April 2024 and April 2026, including for fast food and to cover utility and internet bills, according to court documents.  

The confirmed unauthorized purchases made by Giarmo amounted to about $6,674, court documents said. Her employer suspected her of making additional unauthorized purchases amounting to an estimated $6,844. 

Confronted by her employer, Giarmo allegedly admitted to the theft. Terminated from her position, she agreed to let the company hold her final paycheck and put it toward paying off the stolen money, court documents said. 

The Kalispell Police Department investigated the case.  

If convicted, Giarmo faces up to 10 years behind bars and a $50,000 fine.  

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 406-758-4430 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.