Township Treasurer Loses 'Bid' to Increase Funds

[XLFD]

Allegan County, situated roughly between Muskegon and Grand Rapids, has a township treasurer who had a novel way to increase tax revenue.  Watson Township Treasurer Stephanie Bogdan frequently (over four times a week) visited the new local casino and has allegedly used around $50,000 of the money she spends in the name of the people's business on her private business of gambling.  I'm sure that if she hadn't crapped out in her 162 separate visits , that all the winnings would have went back into the treasury to be used for the township. 

Yeah, right.  WOOD TV broke this story earlier today:

 

Embezzled township cash used at casino
Towship treasurer Stephanie Bogdan charged in case

By Ryan Takeo
WATSON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) - Court records detail the case against an Allegan County township treasurer accused of embezzlement.

A detective said during a recorded hearing that Watson Township's losses are in the tens of thousands, and the treasurer's losses at a local casino were nearly as much.

Township Treasurer Stephanie Bogdan on Thursday was officially charged in Allegan County 57th District Court. She faces one charge of embezzlement by a public official over $50.

But in a probable cause hearing last week, Allegan County detective Len Mathis detailed his investigation. He testified his investigation uncovered about $51,000 had been missing since February.

Det. Mathis said Bogdan also had a player's card at the Gun Lake Casino, where the card's net loss was about $49,000.

In the some 250 days that the casino has been open, Det. Mathis continued, Bogdan had been in the casino 162 days.

The detective's statement was enough for a judge to sign a warrant for Bogdan's arrest.

A preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 21 when a judge could decide if the case goes to trial.

Bogdan and her lawyer refused comment after Thursday's arraignment.

http://www.woodtv.com/dpp/news/local/allegan_county/watson-township...

[Lisa O'Brien]

Wow impressive, I don't know how some people live with themselves. Hopefully she goes to jail and all her assets are sold off to pay restitution. And whatever balance is left she needs to come up with a payment schedule once released or go back to jail indefinitely. 

[XLFD]

I am happy to report that Gun Lake Casino is in Allegan County, and so the local taxpayers of Watson Township know that their money was spent on local 'projects'-- like drawing for an inside straight, and letting it ride on 'black'.   

[Willy]

I wonder if she will run for re-election. I'm sure her problems started small. She probably took a small amount of money at first which she lost then tried to get that back by taking more and things just snowballed. She likely thought that one big jackpot would help her get back in the black so she just kept playing. 

[XLFD]

I wouldn't bet on her running for office again, but I'm sure if anyone did, she would take that bet.

Snowballing debt is likely, and with the Player's Card information, we can probably find out how she fared through those 160 visits. 

If she was a good Treasurer, I would hope that she budgeted her gambling taxmoney accordingly when she went.