Coshocton County Agricultural Society Repaid More than $41,000

Columbus – Auditor of State Keith Faber’s Office released the 2017-2018 financial audit of the Coshocton County Agricultural Society which included a finding for recovery following a $46,308 theft.

 

“It is unfortunate that someone would think they could steal from their county fair and get away with it – our county fairs are a great avenue for our 4-H and youth AG programs and bring our communities together,” said Auditor Faber. “Let this be a reminder that if you abuse public trust and public dollars, my office is filled with quality auditors and investigators who will help uncover your crimes. We need to ensure our local governments are utilizing a checks and balance system to avoid this kind of manipulation and fraud.”

 

From May 2013 through December 2015, Pamela Bordenkircher served as Secretary for the Coshocton County Agricultural Society. In this capacity, Ms. Bordenkircher maintained the Society’s bookkeeping software, generated Society checks, was an authorized signer on all Society bank accounts, and had control of the Society’s credit card.

 

There was no segregation of duties or oversight of her work.

 

While the Society checks required dual signatures from both the Secretary and Treasurer, the Treasurer’s signature was typically affixed using a signature stamp. Monthly payment reports were presented to the Society Board, but Ms. Bordenkircher manipulated the accounting software to conceal the unauthorized payments from the reports.

 

Ms. Bordenkircher was able to rack up a $46,308 tab on the Society’s account.

 

A review of Society expenditures revealed multiple categories of unauthorized payments as follows:

•35 non-payroll Society checks were issued to Ms. Bordenkircher in the amount of $25,288.

• Nine Society checks totaling $4,257 were made payable to Home Loan Savings Bank, where Ms. Bordenkircher received cash for all nine of these checks.

• Four cash withdrawals totaling $16,000 were made from Society bank accounts and signed by Ms. Bordenkircher, but had no purpose for the Society.

• Seven credit card transactions totaling $763.

 

In contrast with the unauthorized transactions noted above, the period of January 10, 2014 – October 30, 2015, payroll reconciliations showed Ms. Bordenkircher was underpaid by $4,477. This underpayment was offset against the total unauthorized payments in the amount of $46,308 which resulted in a net finding for recovery amount of $41,831.

 

On February 28, 2020, Ms. Bordenkircher was indicted by the Coshocton County Grand Jury for one count of grand theft, a felony of the fourth degree, and four counts of theft, felonies of the fifth degree. On October 9, 2020, she entered guilty pleas for all charges and on December 14, 2020, was sentenced by the Coshocton County Common Pleas Court to 12 months confinement in a State Penal Institution.

 

A finding for recovery was issued against Pamela Bordenkircher in the amount of $41,831 in favor of the Coshocton County Agricultural Society. On October 20, 2020, Public Entities Pool of Ohio, the Society’s insurance company, issued a check in the amount of $41,831 to the Coshocton County Agricultural Society to repay the finding in full.

 

A full copy of this report is available online.