The former city clerk and assistant city clerk of a small Missouri town embezzled more than $600,000 and used the stolen money to gamble, pay their rent and taxes and dine out, federal law enforcement officals said.
Former City Clerk Maureen Woodson and Assistant City Clerk Donna Thompson, who served in Flordell Hills and lived together in nearby Florissant, stole the money by wiring funds and writing about 614 checks to themselves to the tune of about $663,604, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.
The women are accused of forging the signatures of the mayor and the city treasurer on the checks, which they used to gamble in person and online, according to a plea.
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Less than 10 miles from St. Louis, Flordell Hills has a population of 724 people and was described by the attorney's office as "a small, struggling city" with an annual budget of $400,000. More than half of the population lives below the poverty line.
Both women were terminated in May, indicted in August and have pleaded guilty, according to The Kansas City Star.
Woodson's attorney, Dan Juengel, said his client "has accepted responsibility and is very remorseful."
"Unfortunately, this case is an example of what can happen when you have a severe gambling addiction," Juengel said. "Mrs. Woodson is 68, she is a widow, a mother, and up until this situation had no criminal history. She has been gainfully employed throughout her life.
"Currently, she is in weekly group therapy for her gambling addiction and sees an individual counselor at the recommendation of the pretrial office. She is progressing in therapy and has completely eliminated any access to gambling from her life."
Woodson admitted to defrauding the city of $487,673, and authorities said the women also used the stolen funds to pay for their taxes and entertain themselves.
Each charge against the women carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both.
