Embezzler Turns to Web For Help Paying Back Boss

A woman who stole more than $800,000 from her employer and spent it on expensive trips and jewellery is turning to the Internet for help paying it back.

Long Island's Renata Shamrakova was recently arrested for embezzling roughly $821,000 from her boss, hedge fund manager Todd Meister.

Shamrakova reportedly used two American Express cards in her boss' name to book luxurious vacations and buy pricey jewellery.

Choice: Pay Back Cash Or Go To Jail

Then she was caught. Now, Shamrakova is left with two options: pay the money back or go to prison.

Unsurprisingly, Shamrakova is doing her best to avoid the latter. That means taking to the web to "crowdsource" herself a 'get out of jail free' card.

Shamrakova created a Go Fund Me account to help raise the money. She's attached this explanation to the page:

"I was in a vulnerable state, financially and emotionally, and lines of propriety got blurred," Shamrakova says.

"I made mistakes in judgment that ultimately lead to my plea deal in March 2013 ... [paying back the money] was the surest way to avoid prison time." (Source: cnet.com)

Payback Goal Still a Long Ways Off

Shamrakova doesn't place the blame on her parents or a troubled childhood.

"Growing up, I, too, was taught right from wrong," she says.

"I was raised in suburban Long Island, the child of Ukrainian immigrants, and taught the value of hard work. I can't remember a time when I wasn't working in the fashion industry, either as a sales clerk or later on in more managerial positions, while also trying to balance time for my studies, my family, and my friends."

However, Shamrakova does point to a heart condition known as POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) as a possible explanation for her poor decision-making.

Unfortunately for Shamrakova, so far few people have shown any interest in helping her avoid jail time. At the time of writing, she'd raised only $315 -- leaving her far, far, far short of her goal. (Source: gofundme.com)

If by some miracle she does raise more than the necessary cash, Shamrakova says she'll donate the leftovers to a firm that helps African women find employment.