Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Long Beach, Mississippi church worker sentenced in theft
A 37-year-old woman with leukemia has been sentenced to one year under house arrest for embezzling nearly $156,000 from First Baptist Church of Long Beach. The Sun Herald reports Judge Lisa Dodson sentenced Michelle Calliham on Monday after she entered a guilty plea. Calliham became the church bookkeeper in the fall of 2006. Long Beach police arrested her on the embezzlement charge on Sept. 15, 2009. Assistant District Attorney Matthew Burrell said Calliham admitted spending the money on medical treatment and to support her family.But if the case had gone to trial, Burrell said prosecutors were prepared to present evidence showing Calliham also spent her ill-gotten gains on entertainment including vacations to Louisiana and Florida.
A grand jury has indicted a former daycare director at a Lexington, Kentucky church on eight theft counts.
A grand jury has indicted a former daycare director at a Lexington church on eight theft counts.WKYT-TV reported 39-year-old Marcie King of Lexington is accused of taking more than $115,000 while working for Southern Hills United Methodist Church between 2006 and 2009.Police said the stolen money was used for weight loss programs, vacations and other personal spending.The station was unable to contact King and reported she was free on bond after turning herself in.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
FAMU officials accused of embezzling
Two Florida A&M officials have been indicted by the federal government for conspiring to embezzle Housing and Urban Development Department money. U.S. Attorney Pamela Marsh said Wednesday that Eugene Telfair and Robert Nixon were indicted on charges of conspiracy, theft from an organization receiving federal funds, and embezzlement. Telfair, president of the FAMU Federal Credit Union, and Nixon, the director of FAMU's Institute on Urban Policy and Commerce, allegedly conspired to steal about $134,250 between 2005 and 2008. The indictment said Telfair and Nixon wrote one another checks and created fraudulent personal services contracts. Telfair is also alleged to have created false tax documents.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Embattled Skiatook, Oklahoma School Board President Kenneth Cooper resigned from the board Friday, saying he hopes his move can help the community heal.
Embattled Skiatook School Board President Kenneth Cooper resigned from the board Friday, saying he hopes his move can help the community heal.The seven-year veteran of the board resigned in a letter to Skiatook School Board Vice President Tim Allen. Cooper stepped down three days after receiving a Tulsa County grand jury notice seeking to remove him from office.A hearing on that matter had been scheduled for Thursday."May my resignation help begin the healing process for our community," Cooper wrote. "My prayer is for our community to move forward, learn from what has happened to our school and as citizens to better serve our children."Unsealed Tuesday were two indictments against former Skiatook Superintendent Gary Johnson alleging embezzlement and bribery of a public official.The indictments came four months after a state audit indicated the school district paid Oklahoma City middleman Rick Enos -- through his companies E&E Sales and Austin Security -- $570,000 more than it would have paid for custodial supplies and security equipment had it bought them directly.Grand jurors also stated in a report they had "no confidence" in interim Superintendent Steve Williams.Jurors said Williams didn't appear to understand the duties of his job or have adequate knowledge of the district's finances. The grand jury accusation against Cooper alleged he was guilty of official misconduct from July 1, 2005, through June 30, 2008. While reviewing invoices from E&E Sales Inc./Austin Security Co., he failed to request proper supporting documents, per his duty, records show.
"As a result of his habitual neglect of duty, and/or willful mal-administration," Cooper allowed payments to be made to the company exceeding open market prices by $238,000, as evidenced by the state audit report, the accusation claims.Cooper answered questions in a prepared statement faxed to the newspaper by his friend, attorney Kevin Jordan. "I was as shocked as anyone when this slowly unfolded over a year ago," Cooper wrote. "We had independent auditors in place and were following all of the procedures provided us by the OSSBA (Oklahoma State School Board Association). Despite that, the system failed. We have been devastated and angered as a community and a board by this, and we want our money back." Cooper wrote that although he was proud of his service, "I want to be an agent of reconciliation and unity in the Skiatook community, and as there are no charges against myself or any other board members, I do not see the need to go through any additional delays or costs." Johnson, 55, has requested a preliminary hearing on his felony counts. Court documents filed Thursday by defense attorney Rob Nigh state that Johnson "specifically reserves his rights to challenge the indictment on its face for procedural irregularities in the grand jury process." With grand jury indictments, a defendant is not guaranteed a preliminary hearing, which is when a judge determines whether probable cause exists for a defendant to face trial, said Tulsa County District Attorney Tim Harris. However, prosecutors or the defense attorney can request a hearing. The bribery charge alleges that Johnson received money as superintendent with the intent to give preferential treatment to Enos' companies. He allegedly did so by directing the school board to approve all recommended payments as charged by E&E Sales Inc. for custodial supplies and security equipment at prices greatly in excess of open market prices, documents show. The embezzlement charge claims Johnson, in an effort to benefit himself, caused documents to be falsified $25,000 above open market prices to support the charging invoices of Enos and his companies, records indicate. Both alleged crimes took place in 2008, documents claim.In a response to an independent audit conducted for Skiatook schools, Johnson said he had "known Enos and done business with E&E Sales dating back to when I was a principal some 20 years ago," the audit states.Nigh has said Johnson will enter not guilty pleas at his arraignment scheduled Wednesday.
"As a result of his habitual neglect of duty, and/or willful mal-administration," Cooper allowed payments to be made to the company exceeding open market prices by $238,000, as evidenced by the state audit report, the accusation claims.Cooper answered questions in a prepared statement faxed to the newspaper by his friend, attorney Kevin Jordan. "I was as shocked as anyone when this slowly unfolded over a year ago," Cooper wrote. "We had independent auditors in place and were following all of the procedures provided us by the OSSBA (Oklahoma State School Board Association). Despite that, the system failed. We have been devastated and angered as a community and a board by this, and we want our money back." Cooper wrote that although he was proud of his service, "I want to be an agent of reconciliation and unity in the Skiatook community, and as there are no charges against myself or any other board members, I do not see the need to go through any additional delays or costs." Johnson, 55, has requested a preliminary hearing on his felony counts. Court documents filed Thursday by defense attorney Rob Nigh state that Johnson "specifically reserves his rights to challenge the indictment on its face for procedural irregularities in the grand jury process." With grand jury indictments, a defendant is not guaranteed a preliminary hearing, which is when a judge determines whether probable cause exists for a defendant to face trial, said Tulsa County District Attorney Tim Harris. However, prosecutors or the defense attorney can request a hearing. The bribery charge alleges that Johnson received money as superintendent with the intent to give preferential treatment to Enos' companies. He allegedly did so by directing the school board to approve all recommended payments as charged by E&E Sales Inc. for custodial supplies and security equipment at prices greatly in excess of open market prices, documents show. The embezzlement charge claims Johnson, in an effort to benefit himself, caused documents to be falsified $25,000 above open market prices to support the charging invoices of Enos and his companies, records indicate. Both alleged crimes took place in 2008, documents claim.In a response to an independent audit conducted for Skiatook schools, Johnson said he had "known Enos and done business with E&E Sales dating back to when I was a principal some 20 years ago," the audit states.Nigh has said Johnson will enter not guilty pleas at his arraignment scheduled Wednesday.
House foreclosure at stake in Connecticutt nursery school embezzlement case
A nursery school that is suing a former bookkeeper accused of embezzling more than $150,000 will be allowed to initiate a foreclosure on the woman's house if it wins the lawsuit, according to the school's attorney. Superior Court Judge Terence Zemetis has granted a prejudgment remedy of $250,000 in a lawsuit brought by the Guilford Nursery School against Joan Kathryn Ames, requiring Ames to set aside $250,000 in assets.A writ of attachment orders Ames to put up her Whitethorn Drive home to satisfy the prejudgment remedy."It has the practical effect of preserving whatever her equity is in the house for us," he said. Ames, who was the school's bookkeeper for about 30 years but no longer works there, was charged with firstdegree larceny in September. She has not yet entered a plea and is due back in court Monday.Initial police investigations alleged that Ames, formerly known as Joan Ames Berkowitz, embezzled $50,000. But further audits accuse her of embezzling at least $150,000 in five years.Licari said last week he is still receiving bank records related to the case and that the law may permit the Guilford Nursery School to be reimbursed three times the amount embezzled. That's why Licari initially asked the court to require Ames to secure $450,000 in assets.However, after discussions between Licari and New Haven lawyer William F. Dow III, who represents Ames in her civil and criminal cases, "the court entered a prejudgment remedy pursuant to an agreement between the parties for $250,000," Licari said.The decrease in the request of the prejudgment remedy amount "has no direct bearing upon ultimate value of our case or with the confidence we have in our client," Licari said. "The judge didn't order that. It's not a function of any analysis by the court as to ultimate value of claim."Ames' house appears to be worth more than $250,000, Licari added, but the court has also granted a motion for Ames to disclose other assets.Dow and Ames could not be reached for comment.The Police Department began an investigation into Ames' bookkeeping in fall 2009, after receiving a complaint from the nonprofit North Guilford Nursery School. As bookkeeper, Ames made all deposits and handled accounts payable, and court documents state she issued checks to herself using school accounts for money she was not owed and tried to conceal the withdrawals.
Charter School Operators in California Appear in Court on Embezzlement Case
The operators of a charter campus in the San Fernando Valley made their first court appearance today on charges of embezzling more than $200,000 in school funds.Yevgeny "Eugene" Selivanov, 38, and his wife, Tatyana Berkovich, 32, who run Ivy Academia charter school, are accused of taking the money between 2004 and 2009.They are charged with five felony counts of misappropriation of public funds, embezzlement by a public or private officer and filing a false tax return, along with a misdemeanor count of failing to file a statement of their economic interests for 2008, according to the criminal complaint.Selivanov is additionally charged with six counts of misappropriation of public funds, embezzlement by a public or private officer, money laundering and filing a false tax return, while Berkovich is also charged with a misdemeanor count of conflict of interest.If convicted as charged, Selivanov faces a possible maximum prison term of 14 years and two months, while his wife faces up to nine years behind bars, according to the District Attorney's Office.
The Tarzana couple started the school in 2004. Ivy Academia has four campuses, in Woodland Hills, West Hills, Winnetka and Chatsworth, and bills itself on its website as "one of the highest performing charter schools in California."The couple also own a private "for public" preschool, Academy Just for Kids, which shares a campus with the charter school, according to the District Attorney's Office.The complaint against them alleges that a school district auditor "identified several areas which appeared to involve commingling of public with private funds and failure to accurately report financial transactions in the school's accounting records."Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Hilleri G. Merritt ruled that the two will be allowed to remain free on their own recognizance on the condition that they make arrangements to be booked by June 18. They are scheduled to be arraigned July 19 at the downtown Los Angeles courthouse.The judge also ordered the couple not to use any Ivy Academia charter school or support funds or credit cards for personal use, including groceries, restaurant meals, gifts and clothing, and not to open any new bank accounts, credit cards or credit lines on behalf of the school."We expect that they will be fully exonerated in this matter and be able to continue to serve the students," defense attorney Janet I. Levine said outside court.In a statement released after the couple were charged Thursday, Levine said they are "educators and innovators, and are confident that any fair and complete review of the facts will show they acted honorably, ethically and legally in administering Ivy."In a letter sent to Ivy Academia parents, the school noted that the charges "will in no way interrupt Ivy's day-to-day operations" and that Selivanov and Berkovich will "continue to work at the school."The Los Angeles Unified School District's Office of the Inspector General began an audit of Ivy Academia charter school in June 2006 as one of several charter schools to be audited.The case was referred to the district's Office of Investigations in August 2006, then to the District Attorney's Public Integrity Division in May 2008. The state Franchise Tax Board also investigated the case. Charter schools are operated with public funds.
The Tarzana couple started the school in 2004. Ivy Academia has four campuses, in Woodland Hills, West Hills, Winnetka and Chatsworth, and bills itself on its website as "one of the highest performing charter schools in California."The couple also own a private "for public" preschool, Academy Just for Kids, which shares a campus with the charter school, according to the District Attorney's Office.The complaint against them alleges that a school district auditor "identified several areas which appeared to involve commingling of public with private funds and failure to accurately report financial transactions in the school's accounting records."Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Hilleri G. Merritt ruled that the two will be allowed to remain free on their own recognizance on the condition that they make arrangements to be booked by June 18. They are scheduled to be arraigned July 19 at the downtown Los Angeles courthouse.The judge also ordered the couple not to use any Ivy Academia charter school or support funds or credit cards for personal use, including groceries, restaurant meals, gifts and clothing, and not to open any new bank accounts, credit cards or credit lines on behalf of the school."We expect that they will be fully exonerated in this matter and be able to continue to serve the students," defense attorney Janet I. Levine said outside court.In a statement released after the couple were charged Thursday, Levine said they are "educators and innovators, and are confident that any fair and complete review of the facts will show they acted honorably, ethically and legally in administering Ivy."In a letter sent to Ivy Academia parents, the school noted that the charges "will in no way interrupt Ivy's day-to-day operations" and that Selivanov and Berkovich will "continue to work at the school."The Los Angeles Unified School District's Office of the Inspector General began an audit of Ivy Academia charter school in June 2006 as one of several charter schools to be audited.The case was referred to the district's Office of Investigations in August 2006, then to the District Attorney's Public Integrity Division in May 2008. The state Franchise Tax Board also investigated the case. Charter schools are operated with public funds.
School Board Member-Elect from West Virginia Charged With Embezzlement
A man recently elected as a Brooke County school board member is accused of embezzling more than $10,000 in cash and goods from his workplace. Benwood police said Joseph Adams Jr. is charged with one count of embezzlement and four counts of obtaining money, goods, or property through false pretenses.
Investigators said the crimes happened while Adams was working for REM West Virginia Inc., a company that serves people with special needs. Police said another employee notified them of the alleged crimes on June 28 after a bank alerted REM.
"The company wasn't aware of it. They were notified by WesBanco Bank, who notified them that they saw some activity that looked suspicious -- checks that were wrote out to REM and they were to be deposited into a personal account, which is not allowed to happen to begin with," said Benwood police Capt. Dave McLaughlin.
Bank officials became suspicious after Adams cashed business checks into his personal account. Officers said he cashed about $3,600 in two checks and embezzled around $7,350 in supplies.
"We found a little over $7,000 of materials and supplies that he had ordered from a company and the materials were delivered directly into the defendant's home," McLaughlin said. He said police have not found the office supplies.
Police said Adams turned himself in on Thursday at his attorney's recommendation, but since he has legal representation police could not question him.
Adams is a Brooke High School graduate and was elected in May to represent the Weirton magisterial district of the school system.
After he was elected in May, Adams told NEWS9, "We should look at each person and make them more accountable for their actions."
Voters across the community have mixed feelings on whether or not he should hold his position on the board.
"I don't believe that he needs to be taken off the school board for any reason until he's proven one way guilty or innocent at all," said Dan Diserio a resident of Wellsburg.
"How about a thing called justice. Wait, it's a school board. How about something for children to look at a grown-up and say 'they're worth emulating,' " said Ginny Elman of Wellsburg.
Brooke County Schools Superintendent Dr. Kathy Kidder said she learned about the charges in the news and contacted the executive director of the West Virginia School Board Association and the school system's attorney for information on if Adams can hold office pending the criminal charges.
Kidder also said she believes that Adams meant what he said to NEWS9 after the election.
"I believe Joe still feels that way. I had him as a student when he was at Brooke High School, and I believe that he was speaking the truth," she said.
She also said she will not shy away from the situation.
"I think it's vital that school board members are held accountable for their actions and that they serve as a role model for our students," she said. But, Kidder said Adams is innocent until proven guilty and he is scheduled be sworn in as a school board member Tuesday at 6 p.m., when the board holds its reorganization meeting. "He has two options: To be sworn in and carry out his duties or, if he would choose, to resign," Kidder said. Kidder said board members and school officials can decide to remove Adams from his position on the school board, but that would require a petition filed through court.McLaughlin said the position to serve on the school board is a "high honor" and said that Adams' case is "disturbing." "When you're taking care of our children of our area and then charge him with an offense like this -- taking company money from REM, which their job is to take care of the handicapped of our community -- that makes it disturbing," he said. And Ginny Elman agrees. "No matter how much or how little you have, help somebody in need and if somebody has anything wrong with them you have to respect them. Who's he going to steal from next? I don't know babies, nuns?" said Elman.NEWS9 attempted to reach Adams at his home, but he had not returned calls as of 5 p.m. Friday. If convicted, Adams faces one to 10 years in prison for each count that he's facing.
Investigators said the crimes happened while Adams was working for REM West Virginia Inc., a company that serves people with special needs. Police said another employee notified them of the alleged crimes on June 28 after a bank alerted REM.
"The company wasn't aware of it. They were notified by WesBanco Bank, who notified them that they saw some activity that looked suspicious -- checks that were wrote out to REM and they were to be deposited into a personal account, which is not allowed to happen to begin with," said Benwood police Capt. Dave McLaughlin.
Bank officials became suspicious after Adams cashed business checks into his personal account. Officers said he cashed about $3,600 in two checks and embezzled around $7,350 in supplies.
"We found a little over $7,000 of materials and supplies that he had ordered from a company and the materials were delivered directly into the defendant's home," McLaughlin said. He said police have not found the office supplies.
Police said Adams turned himself in on Thursday at his attorney's recommendation, but since he has legal representation police could not question him.
Adams is a Brooke High School graduate and was elected in May to represent the Weirton magisterial district of the school system.
After he was elected in May, Adams told NEWS9, "We should look at each person and make them more accountable for their actions."
Voters across the community have mixed feelings on whether or not he should hold his position on the board.
"I don't believe that he needs to be taken off the school board for any reason until he's proven one way guilty or innocent at all," said Dan Diserio a resident of Wellsburg.
"How about a thing called justice. Wait, it's a school board. How about something for children to look at a grown-up and say 'they're worth emulating,' " said Ginny Elman of Wellsburg.
Brooke County Schools Superintendent Dr. Kathy Kidder said she learned about the charges in the news and contacted the executive director of the West Virginia School Board Association and the school system's attorney for information on if Adams can hold office pending the criminal charges.
Kidder also said she believes that Adams meant what he said to NEWS9 after the election.
"I believe Joe still feels that way. I had him as a student when he was at Brooke High School, and I believe that he was speaking the truth," she said.
She also said she will not shy away from the situation.
"I think it's vital that school board members are held accountable for their actions and that they serve as a role model for our students," she said. But, Kidder said Adams is innocent until proven guilty and he is scheduled be sworn in as a school board member Tuesday at 6 p.m., when the board holds its reorganization meeting. "He has two options: To be sworn in and carry out his duties or, if he would choose, to resign," Kidder said. Kidder said board members and school officials can decide to remove Adams from his position on the school board, but that would require a petition filed through court.McLaughlin said the position to serve on the school board is a "high honor" and said that Adams' case is "disturbing." "When you're taking care of our children of our area and then charge him with an offense like this -- taking company money from REM, which their job is to take care of the handicapped of our community -- that makes it disturbing," he said. And Ginny Elman agrees. "No matter how much or how little you have, help somebody in need and if somebody has anything wrong with them you have to respect them. Who's he going to steal from next? I don't know babies, nuns?" said Elman.NEWS9 attempted to reach Adams at his home, but he had not returned calls as of 5 p.m. Friday. If convicted, Adams faces one to 10 years in prison for each count that he's facing.
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