Is it just me or does there seem to be a lot of people stealing on the job? From county officials, parish priests to those working at non-profits, employees are stealing and embezzling huge sums of money and it is making me sick. Think about this sad story.

There weren't as many gifts under the tree for Josette Saia and her two daughters this holiday season. No, she and her girls are going without, and one of the reasons why is the former housing counselor who promised to help save their home from foreclosure.

The Thief

Instead of helping the family, Lori J. Macakanja did just the opposite. She stole from them.

"That was all the savings I had," Saia said of the $4,700 she gave Macakanja in an effort to avoid losing her home. "It's not going to be like Christmases of the past."

Even more frustrating for Saia and the other 130 or so victims is the ongoing and so far unsuccessful effort to get their money back.

HomeFront, the Buffalo (NY) housing group they went to for help, filed claims with its insurance companies, only to be turned down.

HomeFront stopped short of accepting responsibility for the thefts but sued its insurance carriers in state court after its initial claims were denied by the companies.

So far, the insurance companies are balking, leaving the victims to wonder if they'll ever get their money back.

Macakanja, who pleaded guilty to felony mail fraud in October, stole from dozens of people over an 18-month period in 2009 and 2010. She also admitted spending the money she stole — an estimated $300,000 — while gambling at local casinos.

As part of her plea deal, Macakanja is required to pay restitution, but the victims wonder if she will ever have the means to do it.

People went to HomeFront because of its solid reputation for helping homeowners facing foreclosure. Now, more than two years later, she and others are wondering why HomeFront isn't taking responsibility for what happened to them.

Saia, a divorced mother of two, said she went to HomeFront because she was worried she might lose her home because of health problems that caused her to miss work. Her home is outfitted for her daughter, who has spina bifida and uses a wheelchair.

The Scheming

What Saia didn't know at the time is that Macakanja had devised a series of schemes for stealing money from the very people she was supposed to help.

Sometimes, prosecutors said, she would ask her clients for money so she could make a payment on their mortgage but then put the money in her personal account.

Other times, she would send the money to the bank but have it applied to her mortgage, not the victim's mortgage.

The organization is being sued by 14 homeowners. Prosecutors have said they found no evidence that HomeFront, as an organization, was intentionally involved in Macakanja's thefts, but her victims don't buy that.

Another sickening and sad story at this time of year. Hopefully all parties have taken the Lord into their hearts and will work toward maintaining peach and generate positive karma for our deeply depraved society.