[SuperMama]

well I cant talk about this around here irl but I can here coz none of you know who I am talking about

But

about 18 momths after we moved to our small town the secretary office lady where my hubby worked, Judy, was sacked. Head office brought new software to install on to the computers while she just happened to have been overseas on holiday in Africa on safari. Anyway the muck hit the fan and she took them to employment court. The outcome was never officially divulged, but in NZ if you sack someone without legal justification the employer ends up paying out bucket loads of cash. The employer in this situation has some 2000 staff in various small companies and are unlikely to get caught out with unjustified sacking.

However Judy went about telling everyone she got a big payout from it all. She told so many people this that the Employment Federation took out an advert in our local paper warning people from spreading untruths, no monies were paid and reminding all parties that the outcome of the case was privilaged and not legally able to be discussed.

I was not in on what exactly happened but it was quite a drama.

Another 18 months on and the manager of the company sold out his share and moved away. On his last day at work I ran into his wife and we got to yakking and she divulged the lot. Told me everything. Turns out Judy was siphoning off large amounts of cash. She was embezzelling (I wondered how she afforded the flash new car and African holidays) The manager was frustrated because Judy managed to put passwords on critical parts of the computer. She often worked late late into the night and was the only one in the office at midnight and the light could be seen on. She handled all correspondence in and all correspondence out. When ever anyone came near the computer she shut the screen down. The police were involved and said that there was a case of employee theft to answer etc. BUT the company never pressed charges as it was a small town and they had only recently aquired the business and didnt want to upset folk Judy is manipulative, scheming and dreamed up all sorts of ways to cover her tracks. The managers wife said that in reality there was a lot of money gone that they couldnt track she was pretty clever. As we parted and headed our separate ways the manager's wife said Judy had gotten a job in the next town in the same position as office administrator for a trucking company with sole signing rights on the chqs and said 'she will do it again. The company here should have pressed charges'

So anyway I file this away as interesting but didnt think much about it she is off the scene.

Anyhow remember I told you that we were applying for a part time job for Hazel and a local daycare centre. That I knew people on the board and I was confident I could get her a job. Well my girlfriend Alison took our letter and a letter from Hazel's school to the board meeting with the intention of raising our proposal. The next day (today) I phone Alison to see how the meeting went. She said she was barely able to bring it up. The meeting was really heated and went on till about 11pm. There was quite an issue over the fact that the secretary should not also be the treasurer. I asked who this person was. Alison said it was Judy. I asked Judy's last name and sure enough it was the same woman. Alison had no idea of Judy's past, and no one on the board has any clues. Because she was never prosecuted it never came out of course.

Alison tells me that Judy handles all the incoming and out going mail for the daycare, has sole signing rights on the cheque account. She effectively employs herself as she sets her hourly rate and pays herself and decides how many hours to work. She has put secure passwords on the computer and no one can get into some areas. The head teacher said that she saw an email this morning from the auditors office to say that all the accounts and bank statements from March are missing. Yet when the teacher went back and checked later to find the auditors name the email had vanished and wasnt even in the history someone deleted it. Judy has resisted a few on the board and has no intentions of giving up either role of secretary or treasurer. Alison said that a while back she complained that cleaning materials were costing $130. a month. Judy explained it all away but after that it suddenly dropped to $50 a month.

Alison says, I think I will confront her. I said dont. Judy is too clever and will wiggle out of it. I need to get Alison in touch with the managers wife even if they have moved out of town. But I reckon the police need to be involved and they have to prosecute this time if there has been embezelling etc.

Meanwhile Alison has held on to our letter. I think the Board have bigger worries than employing Hazel. Meanwhile I mentioned to hubby tonight the saga so far and he said

"Havent Judy and her Hubby just gotten back from another overseas holiday?"

It's like a tv show.

will keep anyone interested and those not posted.

[Wittesea]

This brough back vivid memories from things that have happened in my own area.

In one case a woman (she actually was my neighbor who lived in the next building) was stealing from her employer (this big company in town) and she used the money to fund her and her boyfriends drug habit.

The second case was in another town in my state... this woman worked for the board of education. Her job was to write the checks for all the school supplies, to pay all the non-teacher school staff (cafateria workers, janitors, teachers aides, etc..) and to also send the retirement checks to the retired teachers.

She stole a LOT of money ($450,000) and spent it all at the casinos because she was addicted to gambling.

In both cases, the women went to jail for over 2 years... and in both cases the company and the board of education we not able to get any of their money back because it was long gone.

It's so sad.

[Milivica]

Gee Peta, throw a little romance in there, and you got yourself a great short story! I worked in accounting for years, the #1 rule always, is that you never allow one person control in ANY area without checks (other people) in place. Not even the boss/owener or VP had a way to do anything with the money without it going through other people. Ya got ya some funky kiwi accounting goin on thar! For the life of me, I will never ever understand folks that know how to manipulate AND get away with stuff like that. This sounds like that one family member everyone has that should be prosecuted, but no one wants to make waves or something.

I have a cousin that screwed my uncle out of $10,000 - borrowed it and never repaid him (I didn't even know we had that kind of money in my family!). Well, to me, at family get togethers everyone should say, "so, when ya paying Uncle so and so back" so she'd feel social pressure to do it, but like, no one says anything. Not even my uncle. I don't get it. I mean, I get the 'discomfort' factor, but don't get why you'd let that stop you. Right is right.

Wittsea, that's VERY sad to imagine people having their retirement funds gambled away and gone.

[Keggy]

What a shame, and a disgrace that she is getting away with this! Good grief! The woman needs to be locked up.
Chances are she is dangerous as well.. anyone willing to do this must be willing to do more to protect themselves... prison is not a good place too be.
I would be concerned about her knowing who you are.. internets a big place, but... the world is a very small place and you do have that Hazel connection.
that said...........be careful

[SuperMama]

Isnt it always the way, as the waters get murkey you suddenly realise that its more like mud, and then you can barely drag yourself out of the bog.

I phoned the managers wife this morning, tracked her down and heard a heap more. She was involved in a sports club and this happened and they moved her on. I asked why didnt they get the authorities in and sort it out. And the managers wife said, she stands up to people and is very intimidating. Then apparently she did this at the St Johns as well (volunteer ambulance organisation - basically another place with a cheque account). She did things like when the offices were painted got some guys in cheap (contacts of hers) and put down 60 hours of painting herself, paid herself for this. But in truth she never actually picked up a paint brush. Everything will have an explanation for sure.

Alison said last she is going to talk to Susan (also on the board and Susan was the first to raise the idea of separating the jobs of secretary and treasurer). I dont know Susan too well. But I heard all this extra stuff after Alison went to work and I did a stupid thing. Of course I didnt realise it was stupid at the time. I phoned Susan, I sort of know her, but not to well. I started filling her in on some of Judy's background. And man did it back fire. Turns out Judy and her are friends. "........Two sides to every story, Judy has never done anything wrong, Alison had no business talking board matters in the community etc etc."

I was mortified and tried to back peddle. Then I got in the car and caught up with Alison down town and apologised for wading in when I should have shut up. But Alison wasnt worried, said she wasnt going to be put off this easy and is going to see our local cop.

Meanwhile I think I might pull my head out. All very sordid, but I screwed up and should have shut my mouth. There is no way Hazel is going to work in this place while the behind the scenes stuff is such a mess.

Meanwhile I went to workbridge today with Hazel to meet Tony her case worker and explained that the board were in no position to offer employment so we are back to square one. And he suggest fruit picking!!!!!!!!!! There is no way Hazel would manage fruit picking. She woudl be hopeless and unable to stay on task, and bored.

Hubby and I am off on holiday in a few days. We go away from Sunday to Wednesday doing touristy things like riding in a jet boat up the shot over river and in a helicopter etc. Will try and take photos.

[Keggy]

back yet?

(added to increase message size)

[SuperMama]

Yes indeed - shattered, tired, but back. We had a ball. Need to get away more often. Just it costs a fair bit to go off adventure seeking. Might have to stay home for a while instead.