17
Jan/121

And incidents of theft and embezzlement continue, and continue…

Day after day I receive Google notifications containing news articles relating to embezzlement.  On any given day, somewhere between twelve and twenty different notifications are delivered to my in-box, some with only one news article or post, while others contain several different cases.  It amazes me just how much theft is occurring, and when you take into consideration only one in nine cases ever hits the press, the incidence of embezzlement is staggering.

Another pattern I have been tracking is that no contexts seem to be immune.  Individuals with access and opportunity seem to be stealing everywhere possible.  I’m not saying everyone is stealing, because that is certainly not the case.  But I am saying a significant risk exists for theft or embezzlement within every business, entity, government agency, program, club, group, and every other type of organization that maintains funds, regardless of the nature, size and context of each potential victim organization.

I truly believe employee behavior is a leading indicator, often detected long before evidence of the actual diversion of funds has materialized.  Living beyond ones means seems to come up in many of the cases.  Know your employees, and for anyone who is a member of any social club, sports program or any other member organization, know who handles your finances and what controls are in place to safeguard your funds.

Below is a small sampling of Google Alerts received today alone:

Woman jailed for embezzling youth soccer funds (over $200,000)

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Woman+jailed+embezzling+youth+soccer+funds/6006470/story.html

A local judge accused of embezzling court funds and other misdeeds could be removed from the bench

http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/a-local-judge-accused-of-embezzling-court-funds-and-other-misdeeds-must-answer-for-her-actions

Sentencing for Ira town clerk who admitted embezzling

http://www.wcax.com/story/16536416/sentencing-for-vt-clerk-who-admitted-embezzling

Former Tenderloin Housing Clinic Employee Sentenced For Embezzlement

http://sfappeal.com/news/2012/01/former-tenderloin-housing-clinic-employee-sentenced-for-embezzlement.php

A Kent County minister accused of embezzlement is due in court today.

http://www.wwmt.com/news/embezzlement-1400637-accused-minister.html

Former Shelby Schools superintendent charged with embezzlement


http://www.ludingtondailynews.com/news/63161-former-shelby-schools-superintendent-charged-with-embezzlement

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10
Jan/122

Interesting Blog: Physician Embezzlement Victim Educates Other Physicians

In my never ending search for the latest trends and information on embezzlement and financial crimes, I frequently find myself discovering unexpected fraud related “treasures”.  Last night was no exception.  I was preparing for an upcoming appearance at an medical conference.  The theme – preventing and detecting employee theft and embezzlement.

A simple Google News search using key words “embezzlement ” and “medical” led me to many recent articles relating to individuals who crossed the line and were caught stealing from their practices.  The bookkeeper for one practice embezzled over $2 million, a practice manager embezzled nearly a half million, and several others whose thefts reached large six-figure amounts.

Last night’s “treasure” find – http://www.stealfromdoc.com/.

Although I am online most every night, as I have been my entire career, I had never landed on this site.  The site is sponsored and maintained by a practicing physician, Dr. Don Elton, who was victimized through an employee embezzlement.   Per Dr. Elton’s site: “I am a Pulmonary and Critical Care physician practicing in South Carolina. Like most physicians, I have been a victim of employee theft. None of us received any training in accounting or prevention and detection of employee embezzlement in school so I sought to write a concise book to fill in the knowledge gaps most physicians have in this very important area.”

Dr. Elton’s site is dedicated to articles, stories and information relating to fraud and embezzlement directed to the medical community.  In my experience, medical enviroments continue to be the number one victimized organization when it comes to employees stealing, and more resources like this site are needed to help change that statistic.

Beyond a physician, financial crime victim and blogger, Dr. Elton is also a published author.  Dr. Elton’s book, “How to Steal from a Medical Practice“,  targets assisting fellow practitioners, helping them minimize their risk of becoming a victim to employee theft and embezzlement.

If you are a medical provider who owns, manages or otherwise are responsible for the financial aspects of your practice, regardless of size, specialty or modality, you should bookmark Dr. Elton’s blog, track back regularly, and order a copy of his book.  He provides great advice, doctor to doctor, to minimize your chances of becoming a victim at the hands of one of your employees.

http://www.stealfromdoc.com/

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4
Dec/115

Theft In The Most Unexpected Places: You Don’t Have To Look Far!

I volunteer at times for my church, working at activities or cooking at the weekly bingo.  It’s quality time, a great diversion from fraud and financial crimes, and allows me a way to give back to my community and support their programs.

Recently I worked an event at our church where I brought personal things from home to help during the event.  One of the items was a professional apron, one of the good kinds I’d purchased at a chef supply center.  I wear my apron all the time, keeping my clothes clean while also also acting as a wipe rag (for everything).  As planned, I wore my apron, and when finished, kept it with my things (separate from the church’s things) to bring home.  My high-quality utensils were there as well.

Towards the end of the event other volunteers were a bit more eager than I expected with their cleaning, and my personal things were taken from the table.  Once cleaned, they became mixed and ultimately secured away with the church’s things.  Doors locked, I’d have to wait to get my things back.

Although I wasn’t able to access my things to bring them home that day, I also knew nothing should happen to them since they were secured at a church, the one place I thought where nothing would happen to my things.

Well… I still don’t understand why I was surprised to find that when I returned to the church for my personal items, they  were gone.  Why did I think that items of high quality, clearly things the church would likely not spend the funds on, being safeguarded at a church for me, would be any different from being stored anywhere else?  Nothing is sacred anymore, and I should have expected my items to have disappeared (and they did).

I am sure someone working at the church soon after our event came across my items, immediately recognized the items did not belong to the church, and also recognized the items were high quality, things they would benefit from having.  It is likely someone I know, who I will be working with at some future church event, standing side by side with a church going thief hypocrite, making me wonder each and every time.

Just another sad sign of our declining society.

Filed under Battle on Fraud 5 Comments »

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