Woman arrested following embezzlement investigation in Columbus County
RIEGELWOOD, NC (WWAY) — Columbus County Sheriff’s Office arrested a former employee of a Riegelwood-area business following an investigation into embezzlement.
On December 30, 2025, the sheriff’s office received a report from the West Fraser Paper Mill suspecting an employee of embezzlement. This came after the company investigated themselves then contact law enforcement for a further investigation.
Through the investigation, the sheriff’s office found evidence indicating that job codes within the payroll system had been manually altered, resulting in improper payments.
On Wednesday, Sylvia Lathanda Allen, 49, was arrested and charged in connection with the investigation.
“This was a detailed investigation, and our Criminal Investigations Division did exactly what they’re trained to do—follow the evidence and do the job the right way.” said Sheriff Bill Rogers. “I’m proud of the work our detectives put into this case and the professionalism they showed from start to finish.”
Allen was given a $100,000 unsecured bond.
