SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

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Super Chief
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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

Unread post by Super Chief »

Owosso Argus Press just released her picture and she is charged with the crime. The hunt is on though as their asking for the publics help. Maybe they should check those ex-Burlington double deckers on the Chesaning branch she could be hiding out and inquiring minds want to know?

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NS3322
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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

Unread post by NS3322 »

Super Chief wrote:Maybe they should check those ex-Burlington double deckers on the Chesaning branch she could be hiding out and inquiring minds want to know?
The old Metra cars are now at the end of Yuma Line (closer to Mesick). Those would actually make a great hideout.

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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

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Just announced that she turned herself into jail earlier today.

Guess she has at least some sense of honor
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fredstev
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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

Unread post by fredstev »

Saturnalia wrote:Just announced that she turned herself into jail earlier today.

Guess she has at least some sense of honor
More like a sense of humor. If she posts bail, it'll be with SRI funds. She doesn't have any of her own.
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Super Chief
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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

Unread post by Super Chief »

Any updates on this? Suspect was due in court yesterday?

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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

Unread post by hoborich »

A buddy of mine had a theory on this kind of thing,many years ago. He said that males are physical creatures, accustomed to getting their way and what they want by force. Females are more accustomed to getting what they want by cunning and using their wits. Men are more likely to rob a store with a gun. While women are more likely to smile and bring in donuts now and then while they loot a company over a long period. This might explain all the embezzlement cases in Michigan of late.
I still find it amazing that businesses can continue to operate, make payrolls and pay for supplies and merchandise without checks bouncing, while someone loots the company or school board, etc, of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

Unread post by PatAzo »

Saturnalia wrote:Just announced that she turned herself into jail earlier today.

Guess she has at least some sense of honor
Or she's out of money with no where to hide.

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NS3322
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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

Unread post by NS3322 »

BREAKING NEWS - "You Stole From Santa Claus" Judge Matthew Stewart

Corunna MI. - Mary Elizabeth Lombardo, 41, was sentenced for embezzling $228, 818.94 from the Steam Railroading Institute in Owosso, Mi. on Sept. 13, 2019, by Judge Matthew Stewart in the 35th Judicial Circuit Court - Shiawassee County.

Lombardo over a 3 year period embezzled over $228,000.00 from the SRI, a non-profit, and has nothing to show for it. Lombardo also was paid $45,000.00 per year as an employee.

Lombardo shredded files wiped computers and scuttled her office when she left.

Lombardo had routed $76,000.00 through PayPal into her personal account.

Kimberly Springsdorf, Executive Director, Steam Railroading Institute addressed the court regarding the financial damage that Lombardo had done to the SRI, home of the 1225, the Christmas Train.

Judge Stewart stated at sentencing that the sentence recommendations, 0 to 17 months by Mich. State Legislature or the 9 months recommended by the Michigan Department of Corrections were not reasonable.

Judge Stewart after laying out financial obligations including restitution of $227,818.94 sentenced Lombardo to a minimum of 36 months not to exceed 180 months.

Full Video Of Sentencing Coming Tonight.

Story/Video: Friends Community News Group / Tom Manke

https://www.facebook.com/209609756066/p ... =3&theater

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Doktor No
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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

Unread post by Doktor No »

Now had she stolen that from a bank in a brazen robbery she would have gotten many, many more years in prison. Why on earth is it when someone 'embezzles' money its treated with a proverbial slap on the wrist? I never understand that one.
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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

Unread post by NYCMan »

My reactions:
1. Kudos to the Judge for increasing the sentence. Too many judges simply slap wrists.
2. She will likely appeal the sentence given that it exceeds Legislative and MDOC guidelines.
3. Given prison overcrowding, she will be released by MDOC at her minimum sentence date.
4. She will pay zero restitution during her incarceration.
5. She will likely never pay the restitution.
6. 1225 ought to be glad that they caught on when they did and that it did not last longer.
7. 1225 needs to report her embezzlement to the IRS, as she had a legal obligation to report her ill-gotten gains on her income tax returns. Once the IRS is involved, their computers will be ruthless in pursuing her. And, she then becomes potentially exposed to some new criminal charges being brought by the U.S. Government.
8. I wonder who she will be kissing under the mistletoe this Christmas while in prison?
9. Last, but not least, what checks and balances is 1225 putting into place so that this does not happen again?

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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

Unread post by ConrailDetr​oit »

Doktor No wrote:Now had she stolen that from a bank in a brazen robbery she would have gotten many, many more years in prison. Why on earth is it when someone 'embezzles' money its treated with a proverbial slap on the wrist? I never understand that one.
Its all about the fear caused when comitting the crime. Embezellers are not feared like a Bank Robber would be. Robbing a store or bank with a gun and getting X amount of dollars is way more feared than a person working in privacy by clicking a mouse and entering numbers to transfer and steal X amount of dollars. Same amount of money, different way to steal it.

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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

Unread post by hoborich »

Also the potential for violence up to and including death is usually not a factor in embezzlement.
That said, I'm always puzzled how these embezzlements go on undetected for years, running up hundreds of thousands of dollars. How do these groups and businesses make payroll and pay vendors, and operate day to day, without checks bouncing. Do they have a lot more money than we know.
Embezzlement seems to be the crime of choice for women these days. And it seems to go on for years before they are caught.
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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

Unread post by ConrailDetr​oit »

hoborich wrote:Also the potential for violence up to and including death is usually not a factor in embezzlement.
That said, I'm always puzzled how these embezzlements go on undetected for years, running up hundreds of thousands of dollars. How do these groups and businesses make payroll and pay vendors, and operate day to day, without checks bouncing. Do they have a lot more money than we know.
Embezzlement seems to be the crime of choice for women these days. And it seems to go on for years before they are caught.
The simplest way for an embezzlers to continuously hide their stolen money from company records is by overpaying vendors, duplicating receipts, manipulating time cards for more hours worked, anything that legitimately shows a record for an expense. The reason why it goes on for So long is the money stolen is usually in small amounts over a long period of time and harder to notice. Or can be hard to prove. Was it an embezzlement or was it an incorrect amount charged, accidentally adding an additional zero to the check to the vendor, etc. It can involve multiple parties where the embezzler and the vendor could be in it together. Vendor sends an invoice to company for services, vendor overcharges company for services, embezzler writes check to vendor, vendor gives embezzler a cut. On company records it shows a legitimate expense to a vendor and would only be discovered during a deeper investigation.

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DaveO
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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

Unread post by DaveO »

Which is why audits focus on the controls in place with regard to keeping the books in addition to actual numbers. But audits aren't intended to deal with every situation that might come up, that is still what any entity is responsible for.

Any entity that doesn't have someone looking over the shoulder of the person in charge of money is just asking to be ripped off.

Edit to add that if suspicious activity is suspected, a forensic audit that is intended to look in-depth at the numbers should be done. Such audits can provide evidence for civil lawsuits and/or criminal charges

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justalurker66
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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

Unread post by justalurker66 »

Doktor No wrote:Now had she stolen that from a bank in a brazen robbery she would have gotten many, many more years in prison. Why on earth is it when someone 'embezzles' money its treated with a proverbial slap on the wrist? I never understand that one.
Crimes against a business instead of crimes against a person - although with a small business (family owned) or a non-profit organization a financial theft would feel personal. A robbery with violence or the threat of violence has the personal element - they are threatening a person's life or health to get the business' money. Rarely is the threat "give me $1 million or I will blow up the building when everyone is at a safe distance". The closest I can think of to that scenario is ransomware ... "give me bitcoin or I will destroy all of your data" (destroying the business electronically). Embezzlement is close. Non-violent but could destroy a business/organization.

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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

Unread post by R.E.A.P.E.R. »

Sentencing video

3:33 Judge mentions the 1225 locomotive.
15:40 "You Stole From Santa Claus" ~Judge Matthew Stewart


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Saturnalia
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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

Unread post by Saturnalia »

Don't let the jail cell door hit you on the way in! :roll:

Good riddance. Theft from non-profits is the lowest of the low.
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hoborich
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Re: SRI announces embezzlement by former employee

Unread post by hoborich »

Lombardo over a 3 year period embezzled over $228,000.00 from the SRI, a non-profit, and has nothing to show for it.
I'm guessing she may be a regular at one of the many casinos. That's usually where the money goes. And it can happen anywhere! A couple years ago, around $14,000 went missing from the Cadillac Michigan State Police post. Was only discovered when the prosecutor needed the cash as evidence for a case he was prosecuting. The only person with access to the property room was a sergeant. They dragged their feet for months before finally arresting him. He was the only person with a key and access to the property room, but he was acquitted. Seems juries are afraid to convict a cop.
https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids ... oblem.html

They did manage to convict him on a laundry list of other charges.

https://www.cadillacnews.com/news/retir ... 2b1da.html
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