|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
November 5, 2005Former official chargedBUCKLEY - A former Northern Michigan Education Association treasurer is accused of embezzling over $40,000, including a number of cash advances at casinos made on the organization's credit cards.Ricky Dean Conway, 44, of Buckley, is charged with three felony counts of embezzlement over $1,000 and under $20,000 from incidents between 2002 and 2004 while he served as the organization's treasurer. Dan Bennett, past president of the NMEA, told state police last November that Conway allegedly used an association credit card to embezzle funds, according to 86th District Court records. A forensic review of credit card records found Conway allegedly took $17,828 for personal use on a number of occasions at various casinos throughout Michigan and Louisiana. "I have no idea what the charges are," said Conway, who works as a cook at Buckley Community Schools. "I have no comment right now." Conway was treasurer of the NMEA from 1998 until his resignation in February 2004. Bennett told police he approached Conway last year about a $4,000 charge on a card, to which Conway allegedly acknowledged he used the NMEA credit card "by mistake" and would pay it back, according to court records. Bennett said more money came up missing in a later audit, which cost the NMEA more than $10,000. The audit allegedly connected Conway to more than $40,000 in credit card advances and "unsupported" checks allegedly written to himself. Investigators said the audit, conducted by Maner, Costerisan & Ellis, P.C., discovered about $37,638 missing from the NMEA's coffers, while $2,851 was unaccounted for from the Buckley Educational Support Personnel fund. The first incident of missing money dated to 1999. If convicted, Conway could face up to five years in prison and restitution. Dave Bowman, Uniserv director for the Michigan Education Association in Petoskey, said measures have been taken to guard against future problems. "We lost a great deal of money that we may never completely recover," he said.
|
|
