Kathy the 'kon' - convicted felon baffles businesses

(WJBK) - This is Kathy Krstich on the job as a party planner.

But Kathy Krstich is a fake, she's really a convicted felon named Katica Vitosevic and I've spent the last eight months trying to find her. And I'm not alone.

"She's as smooth as I ever met," said Sarah. "As far as I know she's just a stone con."

Sarah met Kathy Krstich while planning a birthday party at Maccabees mid-town restaurant more than a year ago. Kathy was the events planner.

Rob Wolchek: "You had complete trust in her at this point."

Sarah: "I did."

Kathy knew it and knew from their talks about family that Sarah had a dream.

Sarah's dream is to own her own funeral parlor. Soon the pleasant party planner was calling Sarah saying she could help. Kathy drew up a land contract for Sarah and convinced her to deposit money into an escrow account.

But the offer on the funeral home wasn't accepted. The deal and the money vanished.

And then -

"I found out that she has another name," Sarah said.

She discovered Kathy is really Katica Vitosevic and has been convicted of aggravated stalking and charged with other felonies.

Sarah filed a police report and contacted me. I sent an undercover cameraman into Maccabees. Kathy was still doing her event planning there, but wouldn't be for long.

Just days after this meeting Kathy was arrested at the restaurant for violating her probation.  People at Maccabees were stunned.

David is one of the partners at Maccabees.  After realizing Kathy was really Katica, he came to a conclusion.

"Booking parties to her was a means to her having access to customers and her resources," he said.

And, David thinks he figured out why his accounting always seemed to be off.

"She did have access to checks," he said.

Wolchek: "And you guys have filed a police report on her."

"Yes my partners have filed a complaint against her," David said.

Kathy / Katica was released from Wayne County on bond but she is due in Oakland County court in late January.

There she's charged with felony larceny in a building and felony financial transaction device - stealing without consent.

Kathy called my producer, promising an interview with me before court. But, then Kathy didn't show up saying she was in the hospital. 

And as it turns out this was the second time Kathy couldn't make it to this court.

"I find it a little suspect, that once again, so close to trial your client's unavailable," the judge told her attorney.

A few months earlier Kathy / Katica claimed she couldn't come into the courtroom because she supposedly had a contagious skin disease. 

Kathy is being charged with using credit cards and checks from a woman in Birmingham she was housesitting for. It's serious. But later that week, Kathy is again a no show in court.

"My client isn't here," the attorney said. "She's still a patient in the hospital."

But Judge Martha Anderson is way ahead of the game she's found out this:

"She's there for observation,” her attorney said. "She's not been admitted."

So apparently Kathy is free to leave the hospital but just won't. And then the prosecutor adds this bit of news about Katica
Vitosevic.

"The defendant has new criminal activity out of two other jurisdictions."

A bench warrant was issued. And just a few days later my cameraman catches a curious sight which looks like Kathy Krstich walking down the street.  She looked pretty healthy.

But just days later, Kathy is again a no show in court.  This time in Wayne County.

"I did receive a fax but it appeared to be from Miss Vitosevic or her family stating she's ill, but I have no documentation," said the judge. "I have something with a St. Joseph Mercy logo on it, but nothing is signed by a doctor or anybody. No medical staff. "

Again, another warrant was issued.

Next up, Kathy is due in court in civil court. Sarah is suing her for the escrow money.

Katica again says she too sick to show but her attorney argues Kathy's case. Sarah argues hers and provides documents. A consent judgment was ordered for Kathy to pay up.

"Judgment will be entered for $3570.39 payments to be made in installments or in full by May 5, 2017," the judge said.

"She had an attorney in the courtroom today to represent her and then they find out she's not going to show, but "I don't believe there's anything wrong with her."

And Ali would agree.

"She seemed very nice. Very personable."

During the time she was too sick to make any of her court appearances, Kathy Krstich showed up at Ali's mid-town restaurant starters to sell him advertising. Kathy had reinvented herself as being hooked up with the new QLine and for a fee, Ali could get ads on the rails.

"Her business was Q Connect," Ali said.

Wolchek: "You gave her $900. She cashed the check?"

"Yes."

Wolchek: "And you haven't gotten anything?"

"Nothing," Ali said. "Never seen her, never heard from her."

She also hit up other businesses.

Jason, the owner of Bob's Classic Kicks recognized her from the restaurant down the street.

"She said she owned Maccabees," he said. "She owned Maccabees, she was part of this QLine connect,
and they were going to service the businesses in Woodward."

Jason was suspicious but his father Donald wasn't.

"I really thought she was legit."

Then, as if the story couldn't get any weirder people started sending me an article Katica was supposedly texting out to people.

It says "Michigan mom and Trump supporter Kathy Krstich is joining the Trump team in the fight against cyberbullying."

It says "Krstich was asked to join the new committee that is being formed by first lady Melanie Trump to put an end to
cyberbullying."

"When asked how she felt to be recognized by the new administration, Krstich replied 'I simply wake up and thank
god every day that Trump is president.'

I contacted Melania Trump's office. they never heard of Kathy Krstich and say there is no cyberbullying committee.

Sensing yet another new Kathy venture I decided it was time to put the pressure on. I went to the addresses she has listed on her court papers as her home..

But nobody would talk to me. Her family even called the police on me - which is interesting since Kathy aka Katica is wanted by two counties.

Finally, Kathy calls me and blames all her problems on Sarah.

"I'm not afraid of the law, I want to face everything if I've done anything wrong," Katica said. "But I'm afraid of her."

Kathy says she's paid Sarah the $3,500 dollars back in full as ordered by the court.

Wolchek: "Has it been registered with the court that she's been paid?"

"That I don't know," she said.

Sarah says she hasn't received any of the judgment.

Wolchek: "Did you misuse some of the money you were taking from Maccabees? did you use some of their checking accounts to abuse them? Did you steal from them?"

"No I did not," she said.

Wolchek: "What about the lady you're being charged with in Oakland County?"

"I can't talk about that case," Kathy said.

Kathy even claims she didn't know I've been looking for her since November .

Wolchek: "I don't believe that you didn't know I was looking for you. You knew I was looking for you because you talked to my producer."

"Hold on a second," she said. "That was the one time in court. you were pursuing other people. I did not know you were looking for me."

Kathy promises to do an on camera interview but just like every time she's been due in court, she never shows.