Former Municipal Finance Official In Connecticut To Be Sentenced Today For Embezzling Nearly $500K

From the Associated Press on 1/30/14:

A former Shelton official is facing sentencing for stealing nearly $500,000 in city funds over several years. 

Sharon Scanlon is scheduled to be sentenced Thursday in Milford Superior Court. The Connecticut Post reports that she faces up to seven years in prison under a plea bargain deal, but her lawyer can argue for as little as three years behind bars. 

Prosecutors say Scanlon stole the money while serving as Shelton’s assistant finance director, a position she held for 17 years. 

Authorities say she made fraudulent deposits of city money into two personal bank accounts from 2001 to 2012. 

Scanlon pleaded no contest to felony larceny and forgery charges in October. She also has forfeited her retirement funds. 

 

Former Treasurer of North Carolina Playhouse Sentenced in $300K Embezzlement

John Willis Hurst, 51, of Charlotte, North Carolina, has been sentenced to 12 to 16 months in prison for embezzling more than $300,000 from the Matthews Playhouse of the Performing Arts where he had served as treasurer. According to authorities, over a period of 7 years, from 2002 until August 2009, Hurst siphoned funds from playhouse coffers. He was arrested in June 2010 and plead guilty last week. However, details are unclear as to how Hurst embezzled the monies. Hurst was also ordered to make restitution to the playhouse and to pay court costst.

Unfortunately, we note Hurst is still listed as an executive board member and treasurer on the playhouse website here. Research suggests that Hurst was a broker with the Principal Financial Group until late 2009. He has been debarred by the Financial Regulatory Authority (FINRA) as a result of this criminal matter.

Read the story here and here.