A former Jennings County deputy clerk and auditor is facing 37 felony theft charges and 9 counts of forgery.
Cathy Jo Robertson, 40, was arrested Thursday following a State Board of Accounts audit that revealed missing and unauthorized checks.
“The investigation determined that between January 2009 and April 2011 when Robertson was employed as a deputy clerk in the Jennings County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, she allegedly diverted over $61,000 from the clerk’s office into her possession,” according to a release from Indiana State Police.
“It also determined that between July 2013 and October 2013, Robertson allegedly forged checks in the amount of over $3,500 when she worked for the Jennings County Auditor’s Office.”
Following the arrest, the Indiana State Board of Accounts released several audits Friday in which auditors uncovered a scheme known as “checks substituted for cash.”
The State Board of Accounts spent so much time investigating Jennings County and Cathy Jo Robertson, it is demanding Robertson repay the state nearly $65,000 for additional investigative costs.
Last year, SBOA hired a new weapon aimed at getting more county prosecutors to prosecute corrupt public officials.
PREVIOUS | State gets new weapon against corrupt public officials
“This is another great example of the great partnership between the State Board of Accounts and the Indiana State Police,” Andy Shank, director of special investigations for the State Board of Accounts said.
“This investigation was a collaborative effort between SBOA, ISP, and the Jennings County Prosecutor's Office. We appreciate the Jennings County Prosecutor's Office taking an aggressive stance against those we believe violate the public trust.”
Court records show Robertson is scheduled for a court hearing on February 29th.
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