2008 Woodie Awards
Employee Allegedly Embezzled $300k
Undergrad Admissions office manager fired, charged with theft by deception.
David Pfeffer
Issue date: 8/22/06 Section: Campus News
- Page 1 of 1
Donna Johnson was a local Hoboken sociallite, living the high life while working as the office manager for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, until a recent audit last year ruined all the fun. Now she faces prison time for allegedly embezzling about $300,000 from the university.
Stevens does an internal audit each year in order to determine the current state of the college's finances. Additionally, Stevens has hired an external company to perform an independent audit for the past two years due to increasing public scrutiny of the university's financial situation. One of these audits discovered a discrepancy, and Johnson was dismissed from her job in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Dean Galliger was unwilling to comment on pending personnel matters.
According to Hudson County prosecutor DeFazio, Donna Johnson has been charged with theft by deception, a crime that includes a manditory jail sentence on conviction. DeFazio stated that Johnson had been taking an average of $5,800 in petty cash for each month she worked for the Institute. Patrick Berzinski, head of the Stevens News Service, noted that petty cash policies have been completely rewritten since Johnson's dismissal. This is confirmed by the new financial department policy library, which reflects a change in Policy 40.2.1, "Petty Cash Funds" on February 6, 2006. DeFazio noted that some of the money Johnson allegedly stole was used for trips. These sorts of reimbursements are now strictly forbidden "under any circumstances" according to the new policy. DeFazio also commented that Johnson had been reimbursed for catering and other food related expenses which he alleges did not exist; expenses such as these would not be reimbursable under the new code regardless of their legitimacy.
Mark Samolewicz, Stevens Vice President of Human Resources, did agree to discuss the Johnson case. However, he was unable to answer most questions, stating "Stevens does not discuss pending legal matters." He suggested speaking to the internal auditor of Stevens, Doug Horr, who was unavailable for comment.
Stevens does an internal audit each year in order to determine the current state of the college's finances. Additionally, Stevens has hired an external company to perform an independent audit for the past two years due to increasing public scrutiny of the university's financial situation. One of these audits discovered a discrepancy, and Johnson was dismissed from her job in the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Dean Galliger was unwilling to comment on pending personnel matters.
According to Hudson County prosecutor DeFazio, Donna Johnson has been charged with theft by deception, a crime that includes a manditory jail sentence on conviction. DeFazio stated that Johnson had been taking an average of $5,800 in petty cash for each month she worked for the Institute. Patrick Berzinski, head of the Stevens News Service, noted that petty cash policies have been completely rewritten since Johnson's dismissal. This is confirmed by the new financial department policy library, which reflects a change in Policy 40.2.1, "Petty Cash Funds" on February 6, 2006. DeFazio noted that some of the money Johnson allegedly stole was used for trips. These sorts of reimbursements are now strictly forbidden "under any circumstances" according to the new policy. DeFazio also commented that Johnson had been reimbursed for catering and other food related expenses which he alleges did not exist; expenses such as these would not be reimbursable under the new code regardless of their legitimacy.
Mark Samolewicz, Stevens Vice President of Human Resources, did agree to discuss the Johnson case. However, he was unable to answer most questions, stating "Stevens does not discuss pending legal matters." He suggested speaking to the internal auditor of Stevens, Doug Horr, who was unavailable for comment.
Be the first to comment on this story