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Managers charged with fraud

When the big or small, theft can exist at HOAs and condos from coast to coast and throughout the land. Property managers, bookkeepers and even a lawyer faced criminal charges.

Branson condo manager admits embezzling $311,000
Former CEO of Certified Hawaii (now Associa Hawaii) charged with stealing
Condo association bookkeeper pleads guilty to fraud
Attorney admits to stealing from homeowners association
Former Las Vegas lawyer gets prison time for stealing from clients
Unaccounted For
Bookkeeper charged with stealing $755,000
Update: Joshua Bonillas pleaded guilty
Former condo manager ordered to pay restitution
Windcrest city official, contractor indicted in HOA fraud case
Ex-Lake Redwine manager guilty of pocketing HOA fees
Birmingham woman stole $375k from 11 condo associations
President of management company charged with embezzling $250K
Former Property Manager employee receives no jail time
Charges dismissed in alleged Leominster Massachusetts condo theft  Part 1
Leominster mother and son indicted by grand jury for larceny   Part 2
Leominster woman and her son pleaded not guilty     Part 3
Two indicted in $75,000 Wildwood condo theft case
Lake in the Hills woman charged with making unauthorized purchases
Oro Valley homeowners lose thousands of dollars in rental scheme
Former Fountain Hills HOA bookkeeper accused of stealing $12K
Ex-property manager indicted in theft of $8K from Cobb HOA
Slidell woman accused of stealing money from homeowner association
Woman accused of taking $100,000 from NH condo association
Senior condo complex is reeling from suspected embezzlement   Part 1
St. Paul condo mgmt executive suspected of taking millions        Part 2
Investigators try to gauge extent of alleged condo fraud               Part3

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Branson condo manager admits embezzling $311,000
17 March 2014
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — The former financial manager of a Branson condominium complex has admitted embezzling $311,000 from the owners' association.

The U.S. Attorney's office says 35-year-old Sarah Underwood, of Galena, pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to wire fraud, money laundering and failing to file a tax return.

Underwood handled bookkeeping and financial affairs at the Fall Creek condominiums from 2007 until she was fired in September 2012, after the thefts were discovered.

Prosecutors said Underwood admitted writing about $311,000 worth of checks on the condo association's accounts and using the money on personal expenses, including a $76,000 Shelby Mustang. She also bought a condo at Fall Creek, and steered $80,000 to her boyfriend's construction company without showing any work done at the complex.

A sentencing date will be scheduled later.

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Former CEO of property mgt. company charged with stealing from homeowners
Hawaii News Now
By Lynn Kawano
08 December 2014
Update:  Floerke turned herself in Monday and is now out on bail.

It's a laundry list of expensive items Toni Floerke allegedly bought with other people's money:

• $27,800      for Ala Moana gift certificates,
• $20,900      for Koa furniture for her home,
• $07,786.41 for granite counters for her home.

And the list goes on and on: new tires, private music lessons for a friend, and a new concrete driveway for another friend.

According to the Honolulu Prosecutor's Office, the former CEO of Certified Hawaii, now known as Associa Hawaii, spent $126,966.78 that she stole from the Kekuilani Villas Association of Apartment Owners, the Aeloa Terrace Association, both in Kapolei, and the Kulana Knolls Association in Kunia.

She was fired in 2012.

Thursday, the Prosecutor's Office announced 14 felony theft charges against Floerke. The current CEO of Associa Hawaii says they reported the case to police two years ago.

In a statement to Hawaii News Now, Jon McKenna says his company worked with investigators and are encouraged by the new developments. Associa Hawaii did repay all the associations.

"We have never experienced something of this nature," says Prim Nakamoto, President of the Kulana Knolls Association.

She says they stayed with the company despite the controversy, "Whatever that has happened, it was acknowledged and everyone did what they needed to do. That's what makes us satisfied."

Floerke has not been arrested but is expected to turn herself in soon.

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Condo association bookkeeper pleads guilty to fraud
WMUR 9abc
New Hampshire
28 July 2015

CONCORD, N.H. —A bookkeeper who handled condominium association accounts at Waterville Valley pleaded guilty Tuesday to wire fraud and other charges.

Courtney Stone pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud and one count of impeding the administration of tax laws. A federal judge said Stone lied when she was in charge of the books for the associations during a period of three years.

Stone was the bookkeeper for a family business and was accused of creating losses of between $400,000 and $1 million.

Defense lawyers said Stone was in over her head and was unprepared to handle the responsibilities of her job. But prosecutors said she created phony bank statements and other false documents to hide holes in the company's finances.

In court, she apologized to her family and to the victims who lost money.

"My client accepts the sentence of 18 months," defense lawyer Paul Maggiotto said. "The biggest thing is the remorse for not only the tragedy she caused for her family but also the Waterville Community and for losing the family business and the associations that lost all their money. So she accepts her punishment, and she will serve her time."

Stone was accused of using the money to pay family bills, buy sports tickets and buy her husband a motorcycle. She was ordered to pay restitution of $950,000.

Courtney Stone pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud and one count of impeding the administration of tax laws. A federal judge said Stone lied when she was in charge of the books for the associations during a period of three years.

Stone was the bookkeeper for a family business and was accused of creating losses of between $400,000 and $1 million.

Defense lawyers said Stone was in over her head and was unprepared to handle the responsibilities of her job. But prosecutors said she created phony bank statements and other false documents to hide holes in the company's finances.

In court, she apologized to her family and to the victims who lost money.

"My client accepts the sentence of 18 months," defense lawyer Paul Maggiotto said. "The biggest thing is the remorse for not only the tragedy she caused for her family but also the Waterville Community and for losing the family business and the associations that lost all their money. So she accepts her punishment, and she will serve her time."

Stone was accused of using the money to pay family bills, buy sports tickets and buy her husband a motorcycle. She was ordered to pay restitution of $950,000.

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Attorney admits to stealing from homeowners association
KCCI 8
Des Moines Iowa
15 October 2015
A 45-year-old Dubuque attorney has been given two years of probation in a theft case.

The Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports that Heather Norman was sentenced on Wednesday. She'd pleaded guilty.

Court documents say the Kelly's Bluff Homeowners Association reported that Norman, who served as president and secretary, was paying herself for work done to incorporate the association as a nonprofit.

The association was incorporated in 2011 but dissolved in 2012 because paperwork was never filed to keep it incorporated. Court documents say Norman paid herself $1,110 after the association dissolved.

Norman was ordered to pay restitution of $1,100 to the association.

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Former Las Vegas lawyer gets prison time for stealing from clients
Las Vegas Review-Journal
By David Ferrara
10 November 2016

Disbarred Las Vegas attorney Jeanne Winkler was sentenced Thursday to up to seven years in prison for stealing more than $140,000 from her former clients.

Winkler, 48, wept as she pleaded with District Judge Richard Scotti, who said he had “no doubt greed played a significant role” in her crime.

She must serve at least 2½ years behind bars before she is eligible for parole, the judge said.

“There has to be consequences commensurate with the amount of harm you’ve inflicted,” he said, adding that Winkler must pay about $143,000 in restitution.

The judge allowed Winkler a week to spend time with family in Tonopah before she surrenders. The defendant pleaded guilty in May to theft.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Jay Raman said Winkler stole from several clients, including Juanita Thompson, who told the judge that she lost roughly $70,000 entrusted with Winkler in a 2008 divorce proceeding.

Thompson said she wanted to spit in Winkler’s face and called her “pure evil.”

One of Winkler’s former law partners, Louis Schneider, wrote in a letter to the judge that Winkler had stolen $10,000 from him, stolen his clients’ money and temporarily destroyed his reputation.

her role in a scheme to take over and defraud Las Vegas-area homeowners associations

Last year, a federal judge ordered Winkler to pay a share of $47,000 in restitution and serve 100 hours of community service for her role in a scheme to take over and defraud Las Vegas-area homeowners associations.

Winkler lost her Nevada law license in November 2011 over allegations she misappropriated about $233,000 from her client trust account. She was arrested in 2011 on state theft and embezzlement charges.

In the federal case, Winkler cooperated with prosecutors and became a government witness against former Family Court Judge Steven Jones, who is now in prison. Winkler was a victim in a decade-long investment fraud scheme involving Jones.

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Unaccounted For
KVOA.com
Written By Matthew Schwartz
Tucson Arizonia
14 December 2015

Maryann Kenniger noticed her neighborhood in southwest Tucson was deteriorating. The sign out front badly needs repair, along with the roads and the pool.  Kenniger is the treasurer of the Presidio Villas II Homeowners Association. She and fellow HOA board members asked their bookkeeper how the HOA’s money was being spent.

“When we asked for reports,” Kenniger says, “we got phony reports I believe, or reports that didn't tell the whole story. He never showed us anything from the bank.”

The board hired a financial examiner, then blew the whistle on their bookkeeper. The alleged actions of 31-year old Joshua Bonillas, also known as Josue Bonillas, have left them feeling betrayed.

Kenniger told the News 4 Tucson Investigators she is, “Really, really angry, because why, what gives a person a right to take all that money and not put it back into the community where it belonged? And everybody here's struggling, just a lot of them are struggling to make their dues payment.”

Detective Katrina Jones of the Pima Co. Sheriff’s Dept. fraud unit says Bonillas has been charged with two felonies: Theft and fraud schemes. Jones said Bonillas spent at least $32,000 of the HOA’s money. Kenniger puts the amount at $45,000; Det. Jones says the investigation is ongoing.

Accused is a county internal auditor

Bonillas was arrested on Dec. 1 after detectives obtained search warrants and seized laptops and financial records from his home and the desk at his day job: Bonillas was an internal auditor for the Pima County Department of Finance and Risk Management. Det. Jones says Bonillas used the HOA’S money as his personal piggy bank.

“At this point in time we've discovered that he was paying his mortgage, as well as vehicle payments, cell phone payments, and credit card payments, along with student loan payments, and various other things,” Jones said.

HOA bank account had $28.

Kenniger says Bonillas got the paid bookkeeper's job (he was hired at $350 per month) in 2011 because he's friends with the HOA’s former president. At one point during Bonillas's tenure, Kenniger says board members were horrified when their financial examiner told them how much, or how little money, was in their hoa account: A total of $28.00. That’s not a typo. Kenniger told us the balance of the HOA bank account was down to $28.00.

Kenniger says, “I also found out that our property taxes had not been paid since 2011, and that's when I really, really got upset.”

The $64,000 question, or in this case, the $45,000 question, is: Do investigators believe Joshua Bonillas stole any money relating to his job as an auditor at the County Finance Department?

Detective Jones says, “I don't believe so at this time. There's been no indication that that's taken place.”

Bonillas apparently wasn't home when we visited. He's been put on paid leave by the county from his job, which paid him $60,529.66 per year. He doesn't live in Presidio Villas II. His neighborhood, about seven miles away and also on the city’s southwest side, is in much better shape.

Kenniger said, “Nobody should take money like that and use it for their own personal use, ever. I think he needs to definitely in some way pay for it.”
Bonillas' attorney said it's too early in his investigation to comment, pointing out that Bonillas has no prior record.

Regardless of how this case ends up, it's another reminder for all HOA members to keep a close eye on the association's books, to always "follow the money."

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Bookkeeper charged with stealing $755K from property management company
Sheepshead Bites
By Alex Ellefson
02 February 2016

A bookkeeper was indicted Monday for syphoning more than $750,000 from a Brooklyn property management company and using the stolen funds to pay down mortgages and maintain her own properties in Syracuse, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney.

Jennifer De Coteau Ulanov, 44, a former resident of Brighton Beach who now lives in Syracuse, according to the DA, is accused of taking checks made out to her employer, Guardian Property Management, and depositing them into her personal bank account. Prosecutors hit Ulanov with a 34-count indictment for ripping off the company whose finances she was entrusted to manage.

“This defendant allegedly used her employer here in Brooklyn as a personal piggy bank by stealing a staggering amount of money from several company bank accounts and then investing the stolen money into her own properties upstate. She will now be held accountable for this elaborate scheme to defraud,” Brooklyn DA Ken Thompson said in a press release.

the sole employee

Ulanov was the sole employee of Guardian Property Management, a Park Slope-based company owned by a husband and wife, according to prosecutors. Guardian manages small to mid-size rentals, cooperatives and condominiums located in Park Slope, Williamsburg, Sunset Park and other Brooklyn neighborhoods

The indictment alleges that Ulanov stole more than $755,000 from the company between 2010 and 2014. She is accused of forging signatures on checks from her employer and tenants and depositing the money into her own bank account. Ulanov also allegedly diverted client fees to herself and covered up the paper trail by the company’s bank statements and balance sheets.

The money was used to keep up six of Ulanov’s own properties in Syracuse, prosecutors say.

This is from Guardian's website. How reassuring.

"Security
In a world where online financial predators seem more and more common, we understand if you have reservations about entering your bank account information online. But fear not! Your information is password protected and all transactions are both encrypted and securely transmitted."

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Update: Joshua Bonillas pleaded guilty
News 4—Tuscon
Written By Matthew Schwartz
01 March 2016

In his first interview since the case became public, Bonillas told the News 4 Tucson Investigators, “I regret the harm I caused to the association, to my family, and I just want to make everything right that I can.”

Maryann Kenniger was one of the HOA's original whistle blowers on Bonillas, and is its current secretary-treasurer.

“I'm really happy that he's owning up to the whole thing and he's taking responsibility for it.,” Kenniger said. “I think that the HOA really feels like they don't want to pursue it any further as long as we do get the restitution.”

Bonillas said, “I just hope that I can move forward and really be a better citizen, a better father, and a better husband.”

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Former condo manager ordered to pay restitution
Owell Sun
By Lisa Redmond
30 March 2016
LOWELL -- A Dracut man admitted on Tuesday he stole more than $95,000 from the condo association of the Parkview Place Condominium Complex in Lowell to feed a gambling addiction.

An apologetic Nicanor F. Bada Jr., 42, of 456 Mammoth Road, Apt. 10, admitted in Lowell District Court to sufficient facts to one count of an association officer embezzling more than $250.

"I'm truly sorry for what I've done," Bada said in court.

He was placed on probation until 2020, with his case continued without a finding. Bada has repaid $43,826. If he pays the remaining $51,939 in full, his case will be dismissed.

Bada's attorney described the period of the theft—June 2007 to January 2012—as a "terrible time" in Bada's life. Bada, who lost his job and now works part time as a bartender, has since enrolled in Gambler's Anonymous to help him recover from his addiction.

Parkview Place resident Katie Bloomgren told the judge that despite Bada's "Emmy-award winning performance that he is a broken man," people tried to help him, yet he continued to steal.

Due to the large amount of money he stole -- a total of $95,765 -- tenants and homeowners, many of whom are senior citizens, had to pay an additional $50 per month on top of their regular condo fees to make the association solvent again.

According to Lowell police, the embezzlement was discovered and reported to police on Sept. 9, 2015, by two members of the association's board of trustees.

Bloomgren was one of those who spent hours of free time analyzing bank records. She discovered the theft started as soon as Bada was hired as the association's manager in June 2007. Bada had total access and control of the association's money.

Bloomgren describes the feelings of "disgust, humiliation and embarrassment" of years of stealing from under their noses.

By January 2012, the trustees suspected Bada had embezzled thousands of dollars after 20 unit owners complained there were liens on their properties due to unpaid bills. Most of the tenants and owners who live in the complex are senior citizens.

When confronted with the theft, Bada admitted to stealing the money to feed his gambling habit. To avoid criminal charges, he made an initial lump sum payment and then agreed to pay $600 per month. But the monthly payments stopped when Bada lost his job and have not resumed.

The trustees decided to contact the police rather than wait out a lengthy civil lawsuit.

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Windcrest city official, contractor indicted in HOA fraud case
KENS 5

SAN ANTONIO -- The city of Windcrest's economic development director and a former city contractor there have been charged with duping a north San Antonio homeowners' association out of more than $300,000.

Robert Colunga, 51, and Tom Pittman, 59, both face two counts of misapplication of fiduciary property: a first-degree felony.

Colunga, the former president of Champion Springs HOA in the Stone Oak area, is accused of repeatedly writing checks from 2008 to 2011 to Pittman's construction company for work on a community center and pool that was never constructed.

One check alone was for more than $91,000, according to the indictment.

"A lot of arrogance there. Seems kind of amusing to me he got away with it for that long," said resident Bill Barnett, who noted Colunga still lives in the neighborhood he's accused of bilking.

Court filings for a separate civil lawsuit related to the project indicate the defendants were unable to make progress on the project due to complications from the expansion of nearby Hardy Oak Boulevard.

The vacant lot along Hardy Oak Boulevard   (Photo: Jason Eggleston, KENS)

However, an I-Team investigation in 2014 revealed Pittman never applied for a permit for the project.

"I made a determination. It was pretty clear to me that we feel there has been a violation of the law and we want to move forward on it," Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood said Friday.

Champion Springs residents, for years, criticized former DA Susan Reed and worried the case against Colunga and Pittman would never be prosecuted.

LaHood, who has a background in finance, said the case deserved to go to a grand jury.

"The phrase that was always said is 'oh that's civil, not criminal'. And that might be true, or it might be civil and criminal. I think we made a proper assessment of this case and our intent is to hold these folks accountable," said LaHood, referring to law enforcement's approach to similar cases before he took office.

Robert Colunga   (Photo: Bexar County Jail, KENS)

Colunga, the economic development director of Windcrest, was placed on administrative leave following his indictment earlier this month, Windcrest's city manager confirmed Thursday.

The city manager said Pittman has not done work for Windcrest in one and a half years.

Tom Pittman   (Photo: Bexar County Jail, KENS)


The I-Team was unable to reach Pittman for comment Friday, and his attorney has not responded to our calls.

Colunga's attorney spoke with the I-Team Thursday and said the case against his client is weak and should remain in civil court.

"That'll play out in court. I'm not going to show my cards, and I respect his opinion. Due process allows him to make that opinion. We'll see if a jury agrees with him or not," said LaHood.

Champion Springs board members previously told the I-Team the HOA was forced to hire a bankruptcy attorney to negotiate with a bank to keep it from selling the plot of land.

Misapplication of fiduciary property falls under the Texas Penal Code for fraud charges and involves someone in a position of trust misusing money or property.

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Ex-Lake Redwine manager guilty of pocketing HOA fees

The Newnan Times-Herald    Georgia
06 July 2016

Melissa Delaine Reason

A former Lake Redwine homeowners association manager has pleaded guilty to charges of forgery and four counts of unlawful use of a financial transaction card.

On Tuesday, Melissa Delaine Reason was sentenced to two years probation on each of the four card charges and 15 years probation on the forgery charge, all to run concurrently.

As part of her sentence, Judge Allen B. Keeble ordered her to serve four weekends in jail and pay $5,000 in restitution to the homeowners association.

Reason served as the association manager for Lake Redwine from September of 2014 before resigning in July of 2015.

Rick Gross, a resident of Lake Redwine and treasurer of the association, said he became suspicious of Reason after noticing multiple payments being made on the card, including 10 in April of 2015.

“When we looked at the bank statements, things really jumped out,” Gross recalled. “When we asked her for the credit card statements, she had obviously altered them."

Charges ranging from veterinary services and moving companies were altered to indicate purchases at the post office or for office supplies.

After multiple attempts were made to acquire the physical credit card statements, Reason left her post in the summer of 2015. This left the association not only without a manager, but also deep in debt.

Following Reason’s exit from the homeowners association, Gross was put in a tight spot. With little experience in property management, Gross hired Community Management Associates to step in.

“It wasn’t well received by many residents,” Gross recalled. “But at that time, I couldn’t reveal she had been stealing from us."

Gross, a retired fraud examiner for the FDIC, quickly began gathering evidence to bring to the sheriff’s office.

He was able to compare the legitimate statements from the credit card company to the ones provided by Reason. In the end, Gross determined that nearly $6,000 was spent on non-homeowners association expenses.

Credit card statements indicated charges to PayPal, Amazon, Netflix, and even expenses from relocating a family member to Newnan, including gas, restaurants and a moving company.

To make matters worse, Reason never bothered to keep any receipts.

In August 2015, Gross handed over his findings to the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office. Last January, Reason was arrested and charged with the unauthorized use of a financial transaction card.

Since then, Gross said the management company has turned things around for the neighborhood. He believes justice has been served for the residents.

“Homeowners have to pay these expenses,” Gross said. “If you spread it out among 600 homes, it’s not that overwhelming, but she stole from every single one of us.”

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Birmingham woman stole $375k from 11 condo associations
Al.com   Alabama
By Kent Faulk
20 September 2016

A woman who managed 11 condominium associations in the Birmingham area has been charged with stealing more than $350,000 from those groups, federal authorities announced Tuesday.

Jill Rouse Boothby, 42, was charged Monday with one count of wire fraud, according to a joint statement from U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and FBI Special Agent in Charge Roger C. Stanton.

Boothby has entered a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office. Under that plea deal Boothby will plead guilty to the charge and pay $375,750 in restitution.

"Jill Boothby is remorseful for her conduct," her attorney, Max Pulliam said. "She accepts responsibility for her actions."

"Jill will plead guilty to her crime," Pulliam said. "She is very sorry for the harm her conduct has caused. Jill intends to repay the money she took."

According to the statement and court document charging Boothby:

Boothby was employed as a property manager at Boothby Realty from 2008 through January 2015. Boothby Realty is a real estate and property management company located in Birmingham. Boothby also owned and operated an interior design business called Jill Boothby Designs. The design company is a separate and independent company from Boothby Realty and is run solely by Boothby.

As a property manager at Boothby Realty, Boothby was personally responsible for the management of 11 condominium associations within the Birmingham metropolitan area. Boothby attended homeowner association meetings, assisted with the use and accounting of the homeowner association funds, coordinated maintenance services at the properties, helped bid contracts for maintenance and improvements to the properties, and assisted the associations with budgeting. As expenses were incurred by the various associations, Boothby would advise Boothby Realty's accounting personnel of the invoices and expenses to be paid from the homeowner associations' funds.

The government's plea agreement with Boothby states that, beginning in late 2012 and continuing to about January 2015, Boothby created false and fraudulent invoices for goods and services in the name of her company, Jill Boothby Designs, and submitted the various invoices to the 11 condominium associations that she managed.

The Jill Boothby Designs invoices contained descriptions of items billed to the various associations, however, neither Boothby nor her design company actually purchased the items. Boothby submitted the fraudulent invoices to her employer, Boothby Realty, with a copy to the homeowner associations for payment out of the homeowner associations' funds.  The realty company paid the fraudulent invoices to Boothby out of the associations' funds. To further conceal the fraud, Boothby altered the monthly financial statements that were submitted to Boothby Realty to be mailed or emailed to the associations.

The FBI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Beardsley Mark is prosecuting the case.

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Prescott man charged with embezzling $250K
The Daily Courier
By Scott Orr
22 September 2016

PRESCOTT – The president of the Liberty Management Group was arrested Wednesday, Sept. 21, and charged with embezzling more than $250,000 over 10 years from The Mountain Club, which, until Sept. 1 had been a long-time client of Liberty.

Joshua S. Lethbridge, 49, was taken into custody and charged with multiple felonies including fraudulent schemes and artifices, nine counts of falsely making a written instrument, and six counts of theft with intent to deprive of property.

According to a memorandum from The Mountain Club’s board of directors, obtained by The Daily Courier,
“The Board met with the principal of Liberty Management Group on Sept. 2, 2016, and were told that over $250,000 had been embezzled from The Mountain Club ... over the course of a decade,” the memo said.

An email from Club President James Poore outlined the reasons the Club took its business from Liberty to another company; they all fell into the general category of customer service.

The Club learned of the bookkeeping discrepancies when representatives went in on Sept. 1 to take back “dozens of boxes of files and other records,” Poore said.

In an email, Poore said, “This is a sad month for us. Liberty Management had been a mainstay of Mountain Club administration for 15 years or so and had provided continuity to the Board over various make-ups of Directors … The Board to a person was absolutely astounded to learn of the theft.”

The Mountain Club is the oldest planned community in Arizona, Poore said. It now contracts with a different management company.

The Daily Courier’s attempts to reach the Liberty Management Group Wednesday were unsuccessful.

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Former Tidewater Property Management employee receives no jail time for $55,000-theft scheme
The Baltimore Sun
By: Andrew Michaels
08 September 2016

A former Tidewater Property Management employee was given a 10-year, fully-suspended prison sentence Wednesday morning after pleading guilty in April in stealing over $55,000 from individual homeowners and the Wyndham Condominium Association.

Donald Eugene Henderson III, of Pasadena, pleaded guilty to one count of theft scheme between $10,000 and $100,000. On Sept. 7, Howard County Circuit Court Judge Mary Kramer placed Henderson on three years of supervised probation.

Howard County State's Attorney's Office spokesman Wayne Kirwan said the crime began in January 2014 after a fire suppression sprinkler pipe burst and damaged some of the condominiums on Wyndham Circle in Columbia. After Henderson told three condo owners to pay him to arrange the repair and restoration, which was over $12,500, he then used the money for his addiction, according to Kirwan.

In another case, Kirwan said, Henderson pleaded guilty to stealing over $44,000 from the Wyndham Condominium Association account, which was managed by Tidewater. Between March and June 2014, Henderson had received 38 checks for repair work that were payable to three associates. However, the employee used the funds for prescription drugs, with no repair work ever completed.

Although prosecutors sought a one-year jail sentence, Kirwan said that Henderson's defense attorney reported Henderson had no criminal record and received treatment for his addiction. Henderson later described the situation as the "darkest time I have ever faced."

In addition to three months probation, Henderson is required to continue attending self-help meetings for his drug addiction.

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Charges dismissed in alleged Leominster Massachusetts condo theft
Sentential & Enterprise
By Joe Atmonavage
12 October 2016

LEOMINSTER -- The charges against a mother and son, who allegedly stole more than $183,000 from a local condominium association, were dismissed Wednesday in Leominster District Court after the judge ruled against a request by the state for more time.

The larceny charges dismissed were against Judith Remy, 78, of 131 Litchfield Pines Drive, and Raymond Remy, 55, of 92 Middle St.

they allegedly stole nearly $183,704

Both were charged in December with larceny over $250 by a single scheme after they allegedly stole nearly $183,704 from the Pickwick Manor Condominium Association in Leominster from 2010 to 2015.

Tim Connolly, a spokesman for Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr., said the assistant district attorney prosecuting the case had asked for the continuance on Wednesday because one of the detectives who investigated the case was on medical leave and not in the courtroom for a routine probable-cause hearing.

District Court Judge Mark Noonan, however, denied the state's request for the continuance and granted the defense's team request for the charges to be dismissed, "over the objections of the District Attorney's office," said Connolly.

He said that Early's office will continue to investigate the case.

When several of the condominium owners were told of the dismissal, they were stunned.

"Right now, I am appalled," condo owner Joe Butkiewicz said Wednesday evening.

"This is a system that has failed me. It has failed me as a condo owner and failed the rest of this condo community."

Beverley Fitzgerald, 88, said she and her husband, Tom, live on a fixed income and paying the assessment fee to make up for the missing money, which is $80 for one-bedroom condos and $100 for two-bedroom condos, has been tough on the couple.

"We don't have that money to just hand out," Fitzgerald said Wednesday.

Fitzgerald hopes the case is heard by a higher court and would like to see Judith Remy "go to jail."

"Taking money from us is like stealing money from your neighbors," Fitzgerald said.

Butkiewicz said in April it was a "tough pill to swallow" having to pay the increased fees because of the money the Remys allegedly stole.

On Wednesday, he said the "sad scenario is a jagged, jagged pill I am swallowing."

Judith Remy still lives in the condominium complex

Fitzgerald and Butkiewicz said Judith Remy still lives in the condominium complex.

"We have to pay for this while they are just sitting up there all pretty," Butkiewicz said.

Jennifer LaBaire, the attorney representing Judith Remy, said if there are any new charges filed, it is "up to the commonwealth," which could occur, according to documents in the court filings.

On Sept. 19, the state asked for a continuance during a probable-cause hearing, which was granted by the judge, and one of the reasons for the request was that the case was "being indicted," according to the copy of the continuance request in the court filings.

Connolly declined any comment about the possibility of a future indictment and would only confirm Early's office is continuing to investigate.

after condo trustees began to look into the association's finances


The case against the Remys began in the summer of 2015 after condo trustees began to look into the association's finances when Judith, the former condominium manager, approached some homeowners in the summer of 2015 and requested a $1,000 assessment fee to help pay National Grid utilities.

The trustees met with local authorities in August 2015 to discuss multiple bank statements from Leominster Credit Union that indicated Raymond had allegedly been cashing fraudulent checks between 2010 to 2015. According to court documents, Raymond allegedly netted $149,514 using the fraudulent checks.

Judith allegedly began writing checks to herself totaling $31,925 between 2012 and 2015, according to court documents.

monthly assessment fees for two years

The theft incurred a debt of $163,596 that homeowners must pay back paying with monthly assessment fees for two years and a higher annual association fees.

Multiple phone call attempts to the Remy's home Wednesday were not returned.

According to Telegram & Gazette courthouse records, Raymond [Reny] was sentenced to six concurrent terms of two years in the House of Correction in January 2007 after being pleading guilty to three counts of larceny of more than $250. He was ordered to pay $2,156 in restitution, according to the Worcester Telegram and Gazette.

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Leominster mother and son indicted by grand jury for larceny in connection with condo association theft
Sentinel & Enterprise
By Cliff Clark
27 December 2016

WORCESTER -- A Leominster mother and son, who allegedly stole more than $183,000 from a condominium association between 2010 and 2016 were indicted by a grand jury on Dec. 21 on several larceny charges, according to a spokesman for District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr.

In October, larceny charges against Judith Remy, 78, of 131 Litchfield Pines Drive, and her son, Raymond Remy, 55, of 92 Middle St., were dismissed in Leominster District Court by Judge Mark Noonan after he denied a motion by the state for more time "over the objections of the district attorney's office."

The state had asked for a continuance because one of its witnesses was unable to appear in court because of a medical issue.

Early's spokesman, Paul Jarvey said on Tuesday, that the two were indicted on six counts of larceny of over $250. In addition, Raymond Remy was also indicted for six counts of receiving stolen goods over $250, said Jarvey.

They will make their first appearance in Superior Court on Jan. 6, he said.

The case against the Remys began in the summer of 2015 after condo trustees began to look into the association's finances when Judith, the former condominium manager, approached some homeowners in the summer of 2015 and requested a $1,000 assessment fee to help pay National Grid utilities.

The trustees met with local authorities in August 2015 to discuss multiple bank statements from Leominster Credit Union that indicated Raymond had allegedly been cashing fraudulent checks between 2010 to 2015.

According to court documents, Raymond allegedly netted $149,514 using the fraudulent checks. Judith allegedly began writing checks to herself totaling $31,925 between 2012 and 2015, according to court documents.

The theft incurred a debt of $163,596 that homeowners must pay back paying with monthly assessment fees for two years and a higher annual association fees.

According to court records, Raymond was sentenced to six concurrent terms of two years in the House of Correction in January 2007 after pleading guilty to three counts of larceny of more than $250. He was ordered to $2,156 in restitution.

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Leominster condo association treasurer, son plead not guilty
Telegram.com
By Gary V. Murray
Updated Jan 6, 2017

Raymond R. Remy Jr   2004 file photo

WORCESTER - A 78-year-old Leominster woman and her son pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of stealing more than $180,000 from a condominium association in Leominster.

Judith R. Remy and her 56-year-old son, Raymond R. Remy Jr., were each arraigned Friday morning in Worcester Superior Court on six counts of larceny of more than $250 in connection with what the prosecution alleges was the theft of $183,704 from the Pickwick Manor Condominium Association over a six-year period beginning in 2010.

Ms. Remy took over as acting treasurer for the association after her husband, Raymond R. Remy Sr., suffered a stroke and was unable to continue serving as treasurer, according to Assistant District Attorney John A. O'Leary.

Raymond R. Remy Jr. also pleaded not guilty to six counts of receiving stolen property. Prosecutors list both suspects as living at 131 Litchfield Pines Drive, Leominster.

Mr., O'Leary said the alleged thefts came to light in 2015, after Ms. Remy approached several condominium owners and requested increased fees to catch up on past due utility bills. Trustees looked into the association's finances and obtained bank statements showing that Raymond R. Remy Jr. had been cashing fraudulent checks amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to the prosecutor.

Raymond had done a "minimal" amount of work for the association

While Raymond R. Remy Jr. had done a "minimal" amount of work for the condo association, including painting and carpentry, his compensation would have been "nowhere near" $183,704, Mr. O'Leary told the court.

When questioned by Leominster police, Ms. Remy allegedly acknowledged that she had been writing checks to her son from the association's checking account for several years, according to a police report. She reportedly said she felt "pressured" by her son to write the checks and that he needed money to pay for child support, taxes and other expenses. Ms. Remy also told investigators that she gave her son the association's Home Depot credit card to use for supplies, according to the report.

An analysis of bank statements by police for the period from 2010 through 2015 showed that Ms. Remy had written about $150,000 in checks to her son and just over $30,000 in checks to herself, according to the report.

Judge Shannon Frison released Ms. Remy on personal recognizance and set $1,000 cash bail on her son, which he later posted. Both cases were continued to March 1.

he had a criminal record dating back to the 1980s

Mr. O'Leary had asked the judge to set $10,000 cash bail on Mr. Remy, saying he had a criminal record dating back to the 1980s that included larceny convictions and violations of probation.

Mr. Remy's lawyer, Sean L. Cannon, asked for the $1,000 cash bail that was set by the judge. Mr. Cannon noted that the case had been pending for several months in Leominster District Court before Mr. Remy and his mother were indicted Dec. 21. Mr. Cannon said Mr. Remy made every court appearance in Leominster after posting $1,000 cash bail.

The district court charges were dismissed in October, over the objections of prosecutors, after they requested a continuance of a probable cause hearing because a key witness was unavailable.

Mr. Cannon also said that Mr. Remy and his mother disputed the allegations against them and that Mr. Remy maintained he was working for the condominium association during the time period in question.

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Two indicted in $75,000 Wildwood condo theft
Press of Atlantic City
Jack Tomczuk
20 October 2016

Two people were indicted by a grand jury this week after authorities say they stole more than $75,000 from a condominium association in Wildwood, according to court documents filed Oct. 18.

Helen R. Lloyd, 39, of Elmer, was indicted on charges of second-degree theft and unlawful theft or receipt of a credit card after the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office said she stole the money from her employer, the Ocean Towers Condominiums, located at 5201 Ocean Ave.

Jon L. Watson also was indicted on the unlawful theft or receipt of a credit card charge in relation to the Ocean Towers case, according to court documents.

Lloyd was arrested in May after the Prosecutor’s Office said it discovered she stole more than $75,000 between September 2015 and March 2016. The indictment alleges she and Watson used a Cape Bank credit card belonging to the condo association to steal the funds.

Prosecutor Robert Taylor said people convicted of second-degree crimes face five to 10 years in state prison.

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Lake in the Hills woman charged with making unauthorized purchases from Sun City Community Association of Huntley
By Northwest Herald
12 December 2016

Jennifer Lupo, 38, of 10 Litchfield Court, Lake in the Hills

Huntley Illinios – A Lake in the Hills woman has turned herself in after Huntley police said she made more than $20,000 in unauthorized personal purchases and charged them to the Sun City Community Association of Huntley.

Jennifer Lupo, 38, of 10 Litchfield Court, was a former employee of the Sun City Community Association, according to a news release from Huntley police.

On Dec. 15, 2015, the association notified Huntley police of missing funds, police said. A nearly yearlong investigation was conducted, which included multiple interviews, review of financial records and several subpoenas, police said.

On Nov. 30, the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office approved one count of unauthorized control of property over $10,000, police said. A conviction on the Class 2 felony could result in up to seven years in prison.

Lupo turned herself in Friday, police said. She was taken to the Kane County jail to await a bond hearing, police said.

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Oro Valley homeowners lose thousands of dollars in rental scheme
Tucson News Now
By Kevin Adger, Reporter
27 December 2016

She was a person that 30 condo owners trusted to rent out their condo as a vacation rental.

For a while things were good and the homeowners received their money, then something changed with Brenda Sue Cann.
 
Oro Valley Police say, Cann had an agreement with the homeowners to rent out their condo. Cann would take 25 percent and the owner would take 75 percent of the cost of the rental.

From November 2015 to May 2016, she stopped paying the homeowners. Investigators told Tucson News Now this has led to a number of calls and complaints about Cann.
 
The OVPD was able to track her down in Florida, where she was arrested. She appeared in court here in Tucson a few weeks ago. She now faces charges of fraud schemes and theft.

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Police: Former Fountain Hills HOA bookkeeper accused of stealing $12K
ABC 15 Arizona
Joe Enea
25 January 2017

FOUNTAIN HILLS, AZ - A former home owner's association bookkeeper has been arrested, accused of stealing nearly $12,000 in HOA funds.

Court records show that a former bookkeeper stole about $12,000 over a 10 month period from the Fontana Master Board Homeowner's Association in Fountain Hills.

Police report that between August 2015 and June 2016, 53-year-old Cheri Lee Klem allegedly took money from the HOA's account and used it for personal use.

Police say Klem made 140 unauthorized transactions, using the funds for groceries, phone bills and casino gambling.

The discrepancy in the account was found when a former bookkeeper returned and took over the account from Klem. An investigation showed that it was Klem's HOA debit card that was used for the purchases. Klem reportedly admitted to police that she took the money from the HOA and no one else was involved.

She also reportedly told police that she went to the casino hoping to win back and repay the HOA for the money she took.

Klem was arrested on Jan. 12 at her home in Fountain Hills and is facing charges of theft, forgery and fraudulent use of a credit card.

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Ex-property manager indicted in theft of $8K from Cobb HOA
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Ben Brasch
07 February 2017

A former property manager was recently indicted after police say she stole more than $8,000 from a Kennesaw homeowners association.

A grand jury handed down the decision Thursday for Wendy Teresa Robinson’s pair of theft charges.

During her few months between late 2015 and early 2016 with Legacy Park Homeowners Association, police allege she bilked the organization out of $8,458.

The HOA gave her a credit card, which she used to make $2,612 in unauthorized purchases, a warrant said. Robinson also pocketed $5,846 of dues, clubhouse rental payments and funds from social events.

She was fired April 22, 2016.

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Slidell woman accused of stealing money from homeowner association
The New Orleans Avocate
Sara Pagones
25 April 2017

Laura Kozma

The former community center manager for the Belair subdivision near Slidell was arrested Monday and accused of stealing more than $30,000 from the homeowners association, according to state Attorney General Jeff Landry's office.

Laura Kozma, 39, worked for the 776-home subdivision from 2012 through August 2013.

The arrest was made following an investigation by the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, an arm of the Attorney General's Office. Kozma was booked into the St. Tammany Parish Jail on counts of felony theft in excess of $25,000, money laundering over $20,000 and bank fraud.

She was released Monday on three separate bonds totaling $25,000, according to Warden Greg Longino.

While she was an employee of the Belair Homeowners' Association, Kozma used her position to obtain checks that residents had written to pay their association dues, authorities said. She allegedly deposited more than $36,000 worth of the checks into a secret bank account that she did not disclose to anyone.

She was the only person approved to sign on the secret account

She was the only person approved to sign on the secret account, authorities said, and she is accused of using that status to steal funds via cash withdrawals that totaled $32,176.

Danielle Williams, who was on the homeowners association's board at the time, said she filed the initial criminal complaint with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office in May 2013. Kozma was let go by the association in July of that year, Williams said.

The case was handled by the Financial Crimes Division of the Sheriff's Office, she said, and board members were told, among other things, that they needed to have a forensic audit performed, something she said they did not believe they should have to pay for providing.

The case was marked inactive, she said. But it was then turned over to the state Attorney General's Office in view of a potential conflict of interest because Kozma was romantically involved with Capt. Calvin Lewis, who works for the Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff's Office spokesman Capt. Daniel Seuzeneau confirmed that Sheriff Randy Smith, who took office in July, turned the matter over to the AG's Office last year because of the potential for a perceived conflict of interest.

Williams said she met with the AG's Office in January. She praised that office for achieving a result so quickly after the case had been languishing for more than three years.

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Woman accused of taking $100,000 from NH condo association
NH1
27 April 2017

CONWAY - A woman has been arrested after she was accused of embezzling more than $100,000 from a town condo association over 18 months.


Police said Lynne Barry, 53 of Intervale, stole the money from the Northbrook Condominium Association from April 2014 through October 2015.

She was charged with two counts of felony theft by unauthorized taking and one charge of misdemeanor tampering with public/private records.

A class A felony is punishable by a maximum range of 7½ to 15 years in prison. A class A misdemeanor is punishable up to 1 year in jail and a fine up to $2,000.

Lynn Barry was PR bailed on $25,000 cash bail and will be arraigned on July 11, 2017 at 8:00 am at the 3rd Circuit Conway District Court.

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Senior condo complex for university retirees is reeling from suspected embezzlement
Star Tribune
By Paul Walsh
16 June 2017

The president of a Twin Cities property asset and management company fired a senior executive amid a criminal investigation into allegations that he stole from at least one of the firm’s many clients, an independent condominium complex where retired University of Minnesota faculty and staff live.

Residents of 1666 Coffman in Falcon Heights were informed in an e-mail Thursday that the ousted executive for Durand & Associates management company in South St. Paul embezzled “a large amount of money and “has disappeared.”

A suburban police department told the Star Tribune that the executive's wife reported that he hadn't been seen since May 31 and she believed it had to do with his trouble at work.

Police investigated his disappearance until his wife reported on June 7 that she had made contact with him and they no longer needed to look for him.

Sandra Durand of Durand & Associates said that a meeting Wednesday with condo owners “went very well.” She declined to say more. Property manager Donna Scott said Durand & Associates has directed her not to comment.

South St. Paul Police Chief Bill Messerich acknowledged there is an “active and open investigation” but otherwise declined to comment out of concern for jeopardizing his department’s efforts in this case.

The executive has not been charged. The Star Tribune generally does not identify suspects who have not been charged.

The impact of the suspected embezzlement, Scott wrote in an e-mail, means halting large capital projects such as water mitigation and concrete work on the south lawn of the property of more than 90 units on 6.5 acres leased from the U.

While neither Scott nor Durand would say how much money is involved, the condo association’s financial statement from December 2016 lists “current assets” of nearly $1.1 million. That statement was prepared with data provided by the executive under investigation.

the amount missing is in the "hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Also, a source close to the investigations told the Star Tribune that the amount missing is in the "hundreds of thousands of dollars."

No one connected with the investigation has said whether the executive is suspected of embezzling from other Durand & Associates clients.

Scott’s letter on behalf of a board member to 1666 Coffman residents mentioned a “discovery phase” of an investigation by Durand that involves 34 properties.

missing person report

On June 1, the executive's wife told police in the south metro suburb where they lived that her husband hadn't been home for more than 24 hours, having said then he was driving to a rehab meeting. She also called his office and was told he did not show up for work that day.

A missing person's file opened by police and obtained Thursday evening by the Star Tribune said the executive's phone had been turned off.

A week into the executive's disappearance, according to police, the wife hired an attorney in connection with her husband's disappearance.

The attorney told police that the wife "was concerned about the incident that [her husband] was involved with at his work and that she had been advised to hire an attorney."

The attorney added that the wife believes the executive "is missing in relation to his work troubles," the missing person's case file continued.

On June 7, more than a week since the executive left home and dropped out of sight, the wife called police and said she was in contact with her husband and he should no longer be considered missing. Police closed the case at that point.

Coffman estimates that it is fully insured up to the maximum amount that is potentially at risk, said Victoria Tirrel, a resident who is acting as a spokeswoman for the condo association.

Durand’s letter to the condo association revealed that her company noticed financial discrepancies last week. She said her firm is carrying out its own investigation along with the South St. Paul Police Department.

She also informed the condo owners that the executive under investigation has been fired.

“First and foremost, I need to assure you we are researching every available path for recovery of funds,” including what insurance claims are possible, Durand said in her letter to the association running the independent-living housing complex, which is located on Larpenteur Avenue and reserved for former U faculty and staff ages 55 and older.

“My company has served associations such as yours for more than 45 years, with, I have been told on many occasions, an outstanding commitment to the needs of the associations,” her letter continued. “Durand & Associates has never had an issue such as this in our entire history.

“I am both shocked and extremely distressed to report this situation to you. We will continue working, both internally and externally, to obtain a full and complete understanding of these events.”

The executive under investigation has been with Durand & Associates since the late 1990s. He has a degree in finance and volunteers on budget planning committees for various charities in the St. Paul area, according to his company biography.

Along with various forms of housing, including the Cliff House Apartments in Burnsville, the firm also has experience with managing commercial, medical office and retail ventures.

In 2012, the firm on an interim basis ran the small community of Landfall, a 304-site mobile home park, after the City Council fired its city manager without the approval of the Washington County Housing and Redevelopment Authority.

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South St. Paul condo management firm executive suspected of taking millions
Twin Cities Pioneer Press
20 June 2017

A senior executive at Durand & Associates, a property-management firm in South St. Paul, was recently fired after being accused of taking client money.

Members of the Arden Hills North Home Association, an association of about 140 town home units, received an email this past week from Durand & Associates notifying them that one of its employees “embezzled reserve and operating account funds from our Association and many others.” The Arden Hills association was a client of Durand & Associates.

The home association estimates it lost several hundred thousands of dollars, according to Scott Andresen, an attorney who represents the group. He said he does not know whether its insurance will cover the damage fully or not. Durand & Associates insurance might also help cover losses.

The association has begun speaking with prospective property managers to replace Durand & Associates but has not made a final decision.

South St. Paul Police Chief Bill Messerich confirmed that they have an active investigation involving Durand & Associates. He declined further comment, saying he didn’t want to jeopardize the investigation.

Sandra Durand, principal of Durand & Associates, also declined to comment. The employee, who authorities have not named, has not been seen for several days. The amount of money missing could add up to the millions of dollars, Andresen says Durand & Associates told him.

34 properties that may be involved

Arden Hills North Home Association is one of 34 properties that may be involved. Another is 1666 Coffman, condominiums for retired University of Minnesota faculty and staff.

“We’re still so early in the investigation of trying to know exactly how much may be missing and we also know that we are well-insured, so there isn’t any impact that can be foreseen right at this time,” said Victoria Tirrel, a resident and appointed spokesperson for the Coffman address.

Durand & Associates told Coffman on Wednesday to alert residents of the “betrayal” of a “trusted employee,” according to an email sent by a resident to Durand that day.

“I think our residents are confident you are doing all you can to get the best possible outcome for all of us,” the email said.

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Investigators try to gauge extent of alleged condo fraud across Twin Cities
Star Tribune
By Nicole Norfleet
20 June 2017

Investigators are looking at more than 30 condominium and townhouse associations across the Twin Cities to determine the extent of alleged theft by a recently fired executive at a South St. Paul property management firm.

Residents of a property in Falcon Heights learned last week that the ousted employee of Durand & Associates was alleged to have embezzled “a large amount of money.” The man hasn’t been charged and the Star Tribune generally does not identify suspects until charges are brought.

But the president of an additional homeowners’ group, Al Luttman of the Northdale Commons Townoffice Park Association Inc. in Coon Rapids, said it is also missing money and has filed a report with the police.

this case is actually much larger than we were aware

In an e-mail, a Coon Rapids detective told Luttman that “this case is actually much larger than we were aware” and that the entire investigation consisted of “about 40 other cases involving the same type of situation.”

The suspect was reported missing by his wife for about a week at the start of this month. Police investigated his disappearance until his wife reported on June 7 that she had made contact with him.

Luttman said his association was one of the first to discover the possible theft and report it to St. Paul-based Anchor Bank, which was used by Durand & Associates in its work with many condo groups.

Northdale Commons is missing more than $50,000 after Durand & Associates opened a secondary account at Anchor Bank in the association’s name without its knowledge. Funds from the association’s original Anchor Bank account and two accounts the association held at U.S. Bank were subsequently transferred into the secondary account, then to a Durand & Associates account before they disappeared, Luttman said.

At issue is whether the property firm had the association’s permission to move funds without the association’s direction. Luttman said the Northdale Commons association let Durand know in multiple verbal and e-mail correspondence that the company should not hire or pay for any services without the board’s advanced written permission.

“They are playing a game,” said Luttman, who says he has repeatedly contacted different Anchor Bank representatives to find out why the bank didn’t catch the money transfers and how to access their remaining funds.

Durand and the association had signed a management agreement that allowed Durand to open, draw upon and make deposits in the association’s name

Anchor Bank representatives have said Durand and the association had signed a management agreement that allowed Durand to open, draw upon and make deposits in the association’s name with the use of funds not being the bank’s responsibility.

“We’re working with the authorities to get them all the information that they need to pursue their investigation and we’re being very proactive,” said Jim Collins, director of commercial and private banking for Anchor Bank. “This is a tough situation. It’s a terrible situation for the homeowners.”

Anchor Bank has sent out letters to about 30 different homeowner associations that had similar contracts with Durand to inform them on how to get financial statements and change account signers.

South St. Paul Police Chief William Messerich declined to give details after previously saying the investigation is active.

“I think that’s amazing how many [associations] that are involved,” Luttman said.


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