Woman stole 760k from employer and spent it on handbags

BrianD3

Surprised there wasn't a thread on this

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/courtandcrime/arid-40191180.html

Worked for the Donegal Education Centre from 2009 to 2015 and stole 760k in that time. Spent it on "clothing, designer handbags, perfumes, jewellery with many high-end labels including Prada and Gucci". Well done!

I'm not sure what the Donegal Education Centre is, a VEC or similar? Public sector? Questions would need to be asked about how such a sum went missing over the course of only 6 years.

Leg End Reject

You'd wonder what funding an education centre receives if it takes time to miss just over 3 quarters of a million.

All the designer stuff just left in bags too, bizarre.

silverharp

If you think its bad for her what does it say about her manager? or was it do what you like there?

RandRuns

Many NGO's are pretty much a bottomless pit of magical taxpayer money. If she'd only stolen half a million or so, nobody might have noticed.

silverharp

silverharp wrote: »

If you think its bad for her what does it say about her manager? or was it do what you like there?

Manager and their entire finance dept. dropped the ball
Shambles

BronsonTB

Lack of accountability in the public service....

J. Marston

He added that it was a sad and unusual case and that if there is any money recouped from the recovery of all the designer brands then perhaps that could be repaid also.

Oh, perhaps?

suicide_circus

€760k over 6 years is €10.5k per month going missing from a small regional educational body.

That does not smell right.

harrymcgowan

I don't get this. How do people think they can get away with it? If I was a thief, I'd be reasonable and steal a small amount like €10,000 every year. Might not get noticed.

batman75

How in god's name did she manage to thieve this amount without it being twigged much earlier. Doesn't say much for those overseeing the administration of funds. Of course it goes without saying what she did was disgraceful and the state will never see this money back.

POBox19

And this year's award for outstanding governance goes to...

Honestly, the management prior to 2015 must have been asleep at the wheel and should be investigated. How do you not miss €10,000 each month.

seenitall

My speculation would be that there are more people (especially of those responsible for keeping track of the money/overseers) involved in this, and she’s the one to take the rap for the lot. That would be one explanation, anyway.

John Doe1

seenitall wrote: »

My speculation would be that there are more people (especially of those responsible for keeping track of the money/overseers) involved in this, and she’s the one to take the rap for the lot. That would be one explanation, anyway.

Agreed, something doesnt stack up here

bilbot79

Seems to be a lot of this sort of thing at the minute

headtheball14

Yes how much is rolling around etbs Kildare also had a massive issue https://www.rte.ie/news/investigations-unit/2018/0615/970787-investigation-into-kildare-wicklow-education-and-training-board/

Ticking and Bashing

Probably a small team, lack of segregation of duties, management not overseeing staff. Could've been collusion as well though. It can happen easy enough.There must've been obvious red flags though (her coming to work in designer clothes /expensive bags etc.) when she probably wasn't earning much. It's a difficult trap to get out . Management should be blamed for this as well for the significant governance failures that happened.

Purple Mountain

Ticking and Bashing wrote: »

Probably a small team, lack of segregation of duties, management not overseeing staff. Could've been collusion as well though. It can happen easy enough.There must've been obvious red flags though (her coming to work in designer clothes /expensive bags etc.) when she probably wasn't earning much. It's a difficult trap to get out . Management should be blamed for this as well for the significant governance failures that happened.

I read today that most of the bags and gear are still wrapped up in her house!

Eric Cartman

Purple Mountain wrote: »

I read today that most of the bags and gear are still wrapped up in her house!

Probably more in it for the shopping itself or instagram likes than being seen out with the gear

Gruffalux

Mostly I don't understand a love for handbags.
A nice bespoke leather satchel perhaps. Or a useful waterproof backpack. Even a medieval style side purse on a belt. But handbags?! Mostly they look like awful yokes

bucketybuck

Gruffalux wrote: »

Mostly I don't understand a love for handbags.
A nice bespoke leather satchel perhaps. Or a useful waterproof backpack. Even a medieval style side purse on a belt. But handbags?! Mostly they look like awful yokes

She needed more time to steal enough for gladrags.

paw patrol

harrymcgowan wrote: »

I don't get this. How do people think they can get away with it? If I was a thief, I'd be reasonable and steal a small amount like €10,000 every year. Might not get noticed.

went on for 6 years.
she clearly did get away with it for quite some time.
I guess after the first few times she felt she wouldn't be

poor pet has received hate mail....surprised suspended sentences weren't dished out

Mimon

Considering the stuff she spent it on and not even opening some of the packages would suggest some sort of mental issue to me.

Mind boggles that it took a new director coming in to spot a 750,000 hole in the finances.

Yourmama

harrymcgowan wrote:

I don't get this. How do people think they can get away with it? If I was a thief, I'd be reasonable and steal a small amount like €10,000 every year. Might not get noticed.

Nah, she'll get a slap on the wrist over either amount. What's the point in stealing pennies? Go big or go home

whisky_galore

paw patrol wrote: »

went on for 6 years.
she clearly did get away with it for quite some time.
I guess after the first few times she felt she wouldn't be

poor pet has received hate mail....surprised suspended sentences weren't dished out

Awww poor thief.

Gruffalux

bucketybuck wrote: »

She needed more time to steal enough for gladrags.

Oh, handbags are time machines! This I did not know and it significantly raises their value in my estimation.

Gruffalux

whisky_galore wrote: »

Awww poor thief.

That's what I always say.

Montage of Feck

If your going to steal that amount at least spend it on something useful, rather than overpriced designer tat.

POBox19

Mimon wrote: »

Considering the stuff she spent it on and not even opening some of the packages would suggest some sort of mental issue to me.

Mind boggles that it took a new director coming in to spot a 750,000 hole in the finances.

What about the fat cat expensive AUDITORS. Their job is to comb the accounts each year and certify that the books are a true and accurate account of the state of the company finances????

Topgear on Dave

Purple Mountain wrote: »

I read today that most of the bags and gear are still wrapped up in her house!

That sounds fairly sad really. Theres more going on here.

Akesh

Plenty more of this goes uncovered every year. NGOs and Charities are the worst offenders.

BrianD3

One other thing I thought of was - 2009 to 2015 encompassed the Troika/austerity era, the spotlight should have been on finances and spending in all public bodies. Yet this happened.

From Donegal Education Centre's Mission Statement, to clarify where its funding comes from.

Donegal Education Support Centre is one of a national network of 21 Education Support
Centres. The Centre is directly funded by the Department of Education & Skills (DES)
through the Teacher Education Section (TES) under the National Development Plan and
works with the DES to ensure the professional learning needs of our teachers and school
leaders are supported.