Wanda English Burnett, Editor

Ann Geyman, 54, of Madison, has been charged with embezzling more than $1 million from three separate places she worked. In all three charges, she allegedly used the money taken to pay for her own personal credit card debt.

According to information from Timothy M. Morrison, acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, the charges were filed November 29 in U.S. District Court.

One of the charges alleges that Geyman wrote 200 checks that totaled $1,113,502.34 to various credit card companies to pay her personal credit card debts when she was employed as treasurer of the Switzerland County School Corporation from January 20, 2003 until May 9, 2007. She allegedly altered bank statements and canceled checks to conceal her action, which was discovered during an outside audit by the Indiana State Board of Accounts in May of this year. Information from the US Attorney notes that it is a federal crime to embezzle funds from a government entity receiving more than $5,000 in federal funds in one year.

In the second charge, Geyman allegedly was involved in a $24,489 mail fraud while serving as the treasurer of the Madison Regatta, Inc. from July 7, 2000 until June 26, 2001. The Madison Regatta, which is a not-for-profit entity organizing the annual boat race on the Ohio River, also includes running concession stands and ticket sales. Through her position as the treasurer, Geyman routinely reviewed and authorized payment for invoices submitted by vendors of the Madison Regatta. She was also authorized to issue checks to pay invoices without approval of anyone else. The charge maintains that Geyman prepared, signed and mailed 24 checks made payable to credit card companies and businesses who had issued her personal lines of credit. None of the payments that totaled $24,489.15 are said to be related to any legitimate business concerning the Madison Regatta. The accused is then said to have hidden this activity through false entries in the books and records, which she had control of.

The third charge against Geyman is connected to her employment with Value Systems (doing business as J.D. Byrider and CNAC) as an accountant. J.D. Byrider, an automobile dealership and finance company doing business in Madison, would make large payments to its vendors buying automobile inventory. It is alleged that Geyman defrauded the company of about $76,000 by issuing and mailing 22 checks from that company’s bank account to the credit card companies and businesses who had issued her personal lines of credit. This took place between August 17, 2001 and December 1, 2002. The charge notes that none of the checks were written for legitimate business for the company. It is alleged that Geyman doctored the books and records of J.D. Byrider to conceal this activity.

Geyman has agreed to plead guilty to all the charges, which include one count of Embezzlement (from the Switzerland County School Corporation), one count of Mail Fraud (Madison Regatta) and one count of Mail Fraud (J.D. Byrider). She could spend up to 10 years in prison for the embezzlement charge and be fined up to $250,000. The Mail Fraud charges carry a prison term of up to five years again with a fine of up to $250,000 each. The law also requires mandatory restitution for the federal offenses with Geyman agreeing to pay back $1,214,066.32.

According to information in the Vevay Reveille newspapers, Geyman has agreed to forfeit her interest in all property, real and personal, that was seized by the government concerning this case. This would include her home at 1829 Telegraph Hill Road in Madison and a 2003 Chevy Trailblazer.