Post by Deleted on Aug 22, 2013 9:31:16 GMT -5
Former Probation Officer Steals Payments Made by Drug Court Clients in Obion and Weakley Counties
The Comptroller’s Division of Investigations released a report today detailing how former probation officer Sue Moore stole more than $63,000 in fines and fees paid by the probationers she was charged with supervising in Obion and Weakley counties.
The report details how - from April 2005 through last March - Moore diverted at least $63,372 in cash and money orders paid by her drug court clients. At least $56,206 from court fines, costs and restitution paid by probationers was supposed to be turned over to the local county court clerk’s office. Moore also kept $7,166 in supervision fees paid by the probationers that were supposed to be turned over to her employer, Westate Corrections Network, Inc.
According to investigators, Moore often collected payments in the form of money orders with the payee portion of the documents left blank. Moore either wrote the name of a vendor to which she owed money or wrote her own name as the payee and then deposited the money orders in her personal bank account. As a result, drug court clients did not receive the credit for paying their court-mandated debts.
Moore was indicted by the Obion County Grand Jury this month on one count of theft over $60,000 and one count of money laundering. The Comptroller’s investigation was conducted in conjunction with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
“I commend our investigators and those from the TBI for their work on this case,” Comptroller Justin P. Wilson said. “It is unacceptable for someone to abuse a position of public trust in this way. The money Ms. Moore collected should have been turned over either to the courts or her employer, not used for her personal benefit.”
People who suspect fraud, waste or abuse in government in Tennessee are encouraged to call the Comptroller’s toll-free hotline at 1-800-232-5454 or make a report online by visiting: www.comptroller.tn.gov/shared/safwa.asp.
To review today’s complete report online, go to: www.comptroller.tn.gov/ia/.
The Comptroller’s Division of Investigations released a report today detailing how former probation officer Sue Moore stole more than $63,000 in fines and fees paid by the probationers she was charged with supervising in Obion and Weakley counties.
The report details how - from April 2005 through last March - Moore diverted at least $63,372 in cash and money orders paid by her drug court clients. At least $56,206 from court fines, costs and restitution paid by probationers was supposed to be turned over to the local county court clerk’s office. Moore also kept $7,166 in supervision fees paid by the probationers that were supposed to be turned over to her employer, Westate Corrections Network, Inc.
According to investigators, Moore often collected payments in the form of money orders with the payee portion of the documents left blank. Moore either wrote the name of a vendor to which she owed money or wrote her own name as the payee and then deposited the money orders in her personal bank account. As a result, drug court clients did not receive the credit for paying their court-mandated debts.
Moore was indicted by the Obion County Grand Jury this month on one count of theft over $60,000 and one count of money laundering. The Comptroller’s investigation was conducted in conjunction with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
“I commend our investigators and those from the TBI for their work on this case,” Comptroller Justin P. Wilson said. “It is unacceptable for someone to abuse a position of public trust in this way. The money Ms. Moore collected should have been turned over either to the courts or her employer, not used for her personal benefit.”
People who suspect fraud, waste or abuse in government in Tennessee are encouraged to call the Comptroller’s toll-free hotline at 1-800-232-5454 or make a report online by visiting: www.comptroller.tn.gov/shared/safwa.asp.
To review today’s complete report online, go to: www.comptroller.tn.gov/ia/.