Employee Theft

I know that there has been a lot of local consternation regarding some alleged thefts from the Town of Speedway over the past few years. The two stories I have heard, in particular, involve the Redevelopment Commission and the Fire Department. I make no present comment on the veracity of those stories. However, I do write today to hearten my fellow Sparkplugs and note that we're not alone:

Two former Indianapolis Local Public Improvement Bond Bank employees have been charged with theft and insurance fraud by the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office after being accused of taking funds totaling nearly $400,000 from the bond bank.

Jacqueline Fitzgerald, 54, is charged with six counts of theft and two counts of insurance fraud, and Monica Durrett, 56, is charged with five counts of theft and one count of insurance fraud. While employed at the bond bank, the employees are believed to have claimed inappropriate benefit leave payouts and carried insurance on ineligible dependents. Fitzgerald also allegedly received unauthorized bonuses and incentive pay.

Fitzgerald and Durrett were fired from the bond bank in June 2017 after some of their alleged actions were discovered.

Both former employees had enrolled grandchildren in their employer-provided health insurance despite not being legal guardians of those children, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Fitzgerald was allegedly paid $170,000 during her last year of employment despite her annual salary being $57,523. She also arranged to be regularly paid for dozens of hours of benefit leave in addition to her normal paycheck.

Durrett also allegedly received inappropriate benefit leave pay. 

As tempting as it may be to blame Speedway's problem on something specific to Speedway, unfortunately, this problem appears to be rooted in human nature, not in Speedway.