Lynda ArtesaniLegal Accountant and Data Migration Specialist at The Proper Trust

The Hidden Cost of a Bookkeeper Walking Out #legalaccounting #lawfirms #bookkeeper

17 Apr 2026 · 0 min

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0:24

In this brief advisory segment, the speaker warns that a bookkeeper’s departure can mask extensive financial damage, citing a case where roughly $500,000 was siphoned over time. The embezzlement was carried out by inflating the bookkeeper’s own paycheck and concealing extra payments in a “miscellaneous” payroll line item. The speaker urges firms—especially law firms and accounting teams—to scrutinize payroll records immediately when a bookkeeper quits, as the act of quitting may be a signal that the individual anticipates being caught.

You don't know how much damage there is. And this person was a tune of almost half a million dollars of damage that had been ongoing for a long time. They paid themselves more money in their paycheck. They used the miscellaneous box. So you want to look at the payroll, examine the payroll, because if that's something that was happening and they figured they're going to get caught and then they quit on you, then you— that doesn't stop