Former Jackson Township employee indicted for embezzling $170,000 | Local News

PITTSBURGH – A grand jury has indicted a former Mercer County woman of embezzling more than $ 170,000 from Jackson Township while serving as secretary and treasurer.

Linda Lou Baun, 72, of Largo, Fla., Formerly Jackson Township, was charged with postal fraud in Pittsburgh on November 10, US Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman said in a press release from his office with the Department of Justice for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Baun was charged by state police on May 21, 2020 with theft for failing to make the required disposition of funds received, access device fraud, record tampering or identification, misuse of entrusted property and property of government or financial institutions, and two Cases of theft through deception.

From September 2011 to December 2019, Baun stole around $ 170,000 from the township. According to the indictment, she was the ward’s secretary and treasurer at the time.

Jackson Township is a rural parish northeast of Mercer and has a population of approximately 1,200. The total community budget for 2018 was $ 461,000.

Baun has reportedly made unauthorized ATM cash withdrawals from the community’s general fund and made multiple purchases from online retailers, including Amazon.

She tried to hide the thefts by recording false entries in the community’s accounting software.

Each of the six charges carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $ 250,000, or both. According to state sentencing guidelines, the actual sentence depends on the gravity of the offense and, if applicable, previous convictions.

According to the criminal complaint filed by state police after Baun’s arrest, police received information from Mercer County’s District Attorney Peter Acker in early 2020 containing detailed financial transactions for Jackson Township.

Richard Tice, a certified public accountant with McCall Scanlon and Tice LLC, reviewed the community’s records showing that Baun used the community’s debit card between 2011 and 2019.

Community officials asked the accounting firm to investigate possible misappropriation of funds and found that there were no receipts for the purchases Baun had made.

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Jackson Township guards told police there was no legitimate reason for Baun to withdraw cash from ATMs.

Search warrants for Baun’s personal bank accounts, online retailers, and banks found that Baun had withdrawn more than $ 170,000 using the community’s bank card.

She was videotaped with the card to withdraw cash and each transaction cost less than $ 500, which police said was intended to mislead supervisors.

Police said an online transaction – a personalized closing keychain – was recorded as “lights and plugs” on community records.

Baun referred to the ATM transactions as cash withdrawals for office supplies and computer software, the police said.

She also claimed that some of that money was used to pay students for the work that was assigned to her. She reportedly asked a supervisor for permission to hire the students. Although the request was denied, Baun hired the students.

Baun refused to give their names and did not keep employment records, which police said was a violation of federal, state and local laws regarding payroll taxes.

Baun admitted using some of the ATM cash for personal use, including paying for medication and her own bills, police said.

US Assistant Attorney Lee J. Karl is pursuing the case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation that led to the indictment.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A charge is a legal charge only. Suspects are considered innocent until judicial evidence of their guilt is provided.

https://www.ncnewsonline.com/news/local_news/former-jackson-township-employee-indicted-for-embezzling-170-000/article_0370d7c1-8b9f-5834-82ec-aab3bb8c94d0.html