A woman who served prison time for embezzling from a city employees’ union and is accused of stealing from a company that hired her after her release has a history of theft dating back to 1983, prosecutors said.
Diana Frey, 66, made her first court appearance April 30 in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court. She was indicted April 24 on charges including theft and telecommunications fraud.
Prosecutors have said Frey embezzled between $300,000 and $400,000 from Weil-Thoman Moving and Storage in St. Bernard between 2017 and 2024. She was hired by the moving company after her release from prison and worked as a bookkeeper, Hamilton County Assistant Prosecutor Andrew Berghausen said in court.
Berghausen said Frey has a history of theft dating back to 1983. That year, she was convicted of a theft charge. She also has several convictions involving writing bad checks between 1988 and 1990, he said.
From 2005 to 2011, Frey embezzled more than $700,000 from the union she founded in 2005, Cincinnati Organized and Dedicated Employees union.
Frey, who lives in West Price Hill, was fired by the moving company after being indicted on the most recent charges, an attorney representing her at the April 30 arraignment said. He entered a not guilty plea on her behalf.
Magistrate Anita Berding set bond for Frey at $150,000. If she is able to post that, she is required to wear an electronic monitor.
A St. Bernard police investigator said in court that there were issues with Frey turning herself in after the indictment was handed down.
Investigator Keith Ingram said when he called Frey on April 27 to make arrangements for her to turn herself in, Frey − who has a commercial truck driving license − claimed to be driving a truck. Ingram said he later found out that she was actually at home.
The next day, Frey also didn’t turn herself in. Police picked her up April 29 at her home and drove her to the county jail.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ex-union president’s theft history dates back to 1983, prosecutor says
Reporting by Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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