Department of Labor and Training employee accused of stealing 132 checks totaling over $115,000

Colonel Darnell S. Weaver, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police and Director of Public Safety, announces that members of the State Police Financial Crimes Unit arrested a Foster woman for an alleged theft of approximately 132 settlement checks totaling $115,252.72 while working in her capacity as Chief Labor Standards Examiner at the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training.

On May 5, 2022, Wendy Antonelli, age 59, of 174 Howard Hill Road, Foster, was arrested and charged with Obtaining Money Under False Pretenses, Forgery and Counterfeiting in General and Money Laundering.

The investigation by the State Police Financial Crimes Unit was initiated after receiving a complaint from Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training. Antonelli was employed as the Chief Labor Standards Examiner for approximately seven years.

In her capacity as Chief Labor Standards Examiner, Antonelli was responsible for overseeing employee misclassification investigations and distribution of misclassification settlement checks intended for employees of the businesses investigated. An employee is misclassified when their employer incorrectly deems the employee as an independent contractor. The investigation revealed that Antonelli was allegedly fraudulently obtaining employee misclassification checks intended for approximately 132 individuals, forging their signatures, and depositing the checks into her bank accounts for personal use. She is also charged with allegedly transferring money to other bank accounts in an attempt to mask the source of the funds.

Based on their investigation, detectives obtained a warrant for Antonelli’s arrest. She surrendered to State Police Headquarters where she was arraigned and released on $10,000 personal recognizance.

Any individual that believes they are entitled to a settlement check should contact the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training Workforce and Safety Regulation Division at (401) 462-8568.

A person convicted of obtaining money under false pretenses over $10,000.00 may be sentenced to up to ten years in prison and/or fined up to $5,000.00 or both. A person convicted of forgery and counterfeiting in general may be sentenced to up to ten years of prison or fined up to $1,000.00, or both. A person convicted of laundering of monetary instruments may be sentenced to up to twenty years in prison and/or fined up to $500,000.00, or both.