Ann Geyman, the former treasurer of the Switzerland County School Corporation who pled guilty to embezzling more than $ 1 million from the schools will be sentenced tomorrow (Friday) in U.S. Federal Court in Indianapolis.
The sentencing is scheduled for Room 307 of the federal courthouse in Indianapolis, and will begin at 1 p.m.
Mary Bippus of the U.S. Department of Justice, said on Tuesday that the matter is scheduled for sentencing on Friday; and that since Ann Geyman has already pled, at sentencing the judge will go through all of the charges before the actual sentence is handed down.
She said that there may or may not be more testimony, although she expects it to be a sentencing hearing only.
Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Timothy M. Morrison is handling the charges against Ann Geyman, which center on her embezzling more than $1 million from the Switzerland Count School Corporation. She has pled guilty to writing 200 checks totaling $1,113,502.34 over the time period of January 20th, 2003 to May 9th, 2007.
The checks were purportedly written to various credit card companies to pay her personal debts.
According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice dated November 29th, 2007: “It is a federal crime to embezzle funds from a governmental entity receiving more than $5,000 in federal funds in one year.
Ann Geyman was also charged with committing a $24,489 mail fraud between July 7th, 2000 and June 26th, 2001; while serving as the treasurer of the Madison Regatta, Inc.
According to authorities, Ann Geyman: “Devised a scheme to defraud the Madison Regatta by preparing, signing, and mailing 24 checks made payable to credit card companies and businesses who had issued her personal lines of credit.
“None of these payments, which totaled $24,489.15, allegedly related to any legitimate business operations of the Madison Regatta.”
The third charge against Ann Geyman was that she committed mail fraud while employed as an accountant for the J.D. Byrider auto dealership in Madison between August 17th, 2001 and December 1st, 2002.
Federal authorities said that Ann Geyman defrauded J.D. Byrider of approximately $76,000 by writing and mailing 22 checks from the auto dealership’s bank account to the credit card companies and businesses who had issued her personal lines of credit.
She apparently hid this activity through false entries in the books and records.
In a plea agreement that was filed in U.S. District Court, Southern Indiana District, New Albany Division on Thursday, November 29th, U.S. Attorney Timothy Morrison and assistant U.S. Attorney Steven DeBrota informed the court that they had reached a plea agreement with Ann Geyman; who was represented by her attorney, Jack Bennett, Jr.
The charges filed against her included: one count of Embezzlement from the School Corporation; one count of mail fraud involving the Madison Regatta; and one count of mail fraud involving J.D. Byrider.
The potential maximum penalty for the charge of embezzlement from the school corporation is a prison term of up to 10 years; a fine of up to $250,000; and a term of supervised release of up to three years.
The potential maximum penalty for the charge involving the Madison Regatta is a prison term of up to five years; a fine of up to $250,000; and a term of supervised release of up to three years.
The potential maximum penalty for the charge involving the J.D. Byrider car dealership is also a prison term of up to five years; a fine of up to $250,000; and a term of supervised release of up to three years.
In the plea agreement, Ann Geyman acknowledged that the determination of her sentence is up to the discretion of the court, and that the court is not bound by the plea agreement and can impose a stiffer or less severe sentence if it chooses.
As part of the plea agreement, Ann Geyman agreed that she is not eligible to withdrawal her plea agreement should the recommendations not be followed.
The document also stated that federal law requires mandatory restitution for the offenses, and Ann Geyman agreed to pay back a total of $1,214,066.32 – including $1,113,502.34 to the Switzerland County School Corporation.
She also agreed in the plea agreement to cooperate “completely an truthfully with the Internal Revenue Service in the filling of all required tax returns…”
One of the biggest indications that the school corporation will be able to recoup some or all of the funds was that as part of the plea agreement Ann Geyman agreed to forfeit her interest in all property, real and personal, that was seized by the government in the case.
That forfeiture includes, “(A) The entire residence and property located at 1829 Telegraph Hill Road, Madison, Indiana; (B) The defendant’s 2003 Chevy Trailblazer…”
Personal property that she forfeited was auctioned by the Switzerland County School Corporation on February 9th, recouping just under $60,000; and some of the money has also been recovered through the bonds that the school corporation had purchased while Ann Geyman was the corporation treasurer.