Sharing the Wealth

Well, don't they say that God helps them who help themselves

A former Pinole resident was sentenced this week to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay back the nearly $400,000 she embezzled while working for a science education program at UC's Lawrence Hall of Science. Shari DeSondra Michell Ward admitted in a February plea agreement to defrauding and stealing $389,948 from the Berkeley institution, between 2008 to 2014, according to the U.S. attorney's office. Ward, 45, worked at UC Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science, first as an administrative assistant with the Full Option Science System, and later as a financial analyst with budget and finance responsibilities over the program. She admitted to using the university's travel systems to arrange personal air travel for herself, family and friends, and also purchasing tickets which she sold to individuals for her own profit, according to U.S. Attorney Brian J. Stretch...

Full story at http://www.eastbaytimes.com/ci_30149198/ex-uc-staffer-sentenced-stealing-400-000-while

Back in the day, your truly always had the impression that university accounting systems were designed to prevent you from stealing less than $50. That may still be the case.