Many committees and organizations have treasurers. Treasurers are people who are good with money and can help manage financial affairs. They are people who can be trusted with the money.
Treasurers often have a lot of responsibility. Their duties do not solely involve counting money. They may also participate in tasks such as selecting a bank, reconciling bank statements, and managing cash flow. In some cases, they may also need to invest funds, so having solid financial knowledge is key. Overall, treasurers must be honest people who can accurately detail an organization’s expenses and income.
Unfortunately, some people take advantage of this situation and misuse the funds. They may engage in fraudulent activity, such as embezzlement. Embezzlement is a type of theft that comes with serious penalties, depending on the amount stolen.
The treasurer of a political committee in Annapolis is facing criminal charges after she deposited $4,000 in campaign funds into her bank account. She then used the money for personal expenses. What she spent the money on was not disclosed.
The Office of the State Prosecutor filed an eight-page bill against the treasurer of Team 30 Slate, a 36-year-old former lobbyist from Annapolis. The woman had allegedly deposited the organization’s funds into her Venmo account. She did this for a three-month period before and after the 2018 election. She had been the organization’s treasurer since 2014.
Team 30 Slate has just two active campaigns at this time. State Sen. Sarah Elfreth’s 2018 campaign was backed by the committee. She said that she and other candidates affiliated with the committee had referred the matter to the state Board of Elections in 2019 after they realized something was not right. Anne Arundel County Council member Lisa Rodvien was also affiliated with the committee but she said she was not aware of the embezzlement allegations. However, she was hopeful the funds could be recovered through the criminal case.
The chairman of Team 30 Slate claims that he is not aware of the criminal charges, but admitted he was previously contacted by the state regarding transactions that “didn’t make sense.” He formed the committee in 2010.
In addition to the embezzlement scheme, the woman is accused of failing to file or amend four campaign finance reports. She also faces theft scheme and perjury counts. She will face arraignment in Anne Arundel Circuit Court on May 23.
While embezzlement and other white collar crimes are not violent in nature, they lead to significant financial losses, which means they can be punished harshly. In some cases, a person can face felony charges.
A Columbia white collar crime lawyer from The Law Offices of Todd K. Mohink, P.A. can defend you from state and federal charges. Fill out the online form or call (410) 774-5987 to schedule a free consultation. Contact us anytime—we’re available to help you 24/7. We have two offices to serve you.
Source:
baltimoresun.com/news/crime/ac-cn-campaign-embezzlement-charges-20220504-h3f3v7dcqnbhpnytkjawvikv5u-story.html
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