Puyallup woman pleads guilty to defrauding $290K from Costco

TACOMA – A Washington state woman has pleaded guilty to stealing nearly $290,000 from a Costco warehouse over five years.

The News Tribune reported 54-year-old Robin Cline pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court in Tacoma to charges of wire fraud.

Cline, of Puyallup, worked at Costco in Fife from 1996 to 2016 as an accounts receivable clerk. She was responsible for processing payments and refunds for customers of the warehouse club operator.

According to authorities, she put money into bank accounts belonging to her and her son by creating false entries to customers’ accounts.

Cline made 290 false entries in more than 100 customers’ accounts since 2011.

Cline is scheduled to be sentenced in September. She has agreed to repay the money taken.