A Shelby County woman is being accused of stealing $1.8 million dollars from a business where she worked as a bookkeeper.

U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler says this morning that 43-year-old Julie A. Ashman of Fairland has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges of wire fraud and tax evasion. He says that for four and a half years Ashman secretly siphoned money from the medical equipment company where she worked, cutting herself checks up to 15 times a month.

She covered her tracks and represented to the business owners that their operation was barely profitable, authorities allege.

Minkler also says Ashman is accused of not paying taxes on the money she stole.

She is facing up to 20 years in prison on the fraud charges and another five on the tax charges.