Division responsibilities

[sabreuse]

I seem to remember someone posting about one of their Division officers embezzling funds. I don't remember who it was. I was wondering what whoever it was did about it.

Here's my situation. I took over as Division treasurer in September. I tried until about December to get the former treasurer to turn over the info on the bank account, the Tax ID number, and other financial information. He kept promising but never delivered. I think he's travelling a lot with his job and isn't active in fencing anymore. I finally gave up and applied for a new tax ID number and opened a new bank account.

I got a letter from the USFA saying that they won't pay us our share of membership dues until they get back financial reports. Apparently, the last one was filed for the year ended in 1998 (!). I sent a letter to Robert Dumcum at USFA and he told me they have no provision to waive the financial reports so they won't pay anything. I've tried "shaming" the old treasurer by sending him copies of the correspondence but it hasn't had any effect.

I'm tempted to file financial reports showing a beginning bank balance (the USFA told me what the ending balance was on the last report), show that it was all diverted to the old treasurer, and then show zeros until the date that I took over.

OK, I realize that some of this post is for venting purpose, but I am interested in any ideas that anyone has.



[This message has been edited by sabreuse (edited 04-02-2001).]

[attila]

Start with TAR, then the FEATHERS!

[Catal]

Get a lawyer, and have him served. One person shouldn't be causing a whole division such a problem.

[MikeHarm]

It was the Michigan division, from what I was told the guy was legally forced to turn over the records. When he did the books were audited, he was found to be embezzling and got convicted of it.
From my accounting classes that I took they would tell me there a lot of procedures that you can follow to help avoid being embezzled. For example set it up so that a copy of the monthly bank statements get sent to someone other than the person writing the checks so they can see if anything fishy is occurring, and to have independent auditing of the books without notice. It sounds like there are some good reforms you could do in that area.
I think that you do need to get a lawyer to force the issue. Don't let someone get away with ripping your division off.

Mike