What About This . . .?

By Wayne William Cipriano

The Moon River Theatre was in the news a lot recently.  Andy Williams, a well-known entertainer, frequent performer, and/or owner of the theatre died, and just before that there was an incident of embezzlement that took place.

My information is mostly from a television report but I think it is pretty close.  It seems an employee, call her Ms. X, embezzled over $800,000 from the theatre over a ten-year period.  I don’t know anything about the trial, but I heard the sentence – Ms. X is to serve three or four months “shock time” in prison, five years probation, and repay the money.

So, 120 days or less in prison where I guess she would realize how bad things might get if she steals $800,000 again; five years of probation – one of the conditions of which will no doubt be that she must not steal $800,000 from well, anyone; and, repay at least as much as she stole, I imagine.

Her attorney, a very well known lawyer from Springfield, said she could not make any restitution although ordered to do so because “at the time of her conviction, she had no assets.”

Ms. X’s attorney explained, “her assets were spent on religious donations and on various health expenses”.  Hence, her inability to repay.  I will leave the conversation we could have about Ms. X’s religious convictions for another time.  I think, however, you have to be fairly healthy to even carry $800,000, but what do I know, I’m not a physician.  But, just between you and me, and Ms. X and her attorney, I have an idea where some of those assets went so that “at the time of her conviction she had no assets”.

120 days or less in prison, five years probation, no money back.  That’s $6,557 for each prison day, $160,000 for each probation year.

There may well be a lesson here but I’m not sure we want anyone to learn it.

And, before you ask – no, I do not know where to get an employment application for the Moon River Theatre.