The easy money was good while it lasted. Now comes reality.
A former city of Detroit employee in the payroll department pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court to embezzling $265,000 from the city, Tresa Baldas of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Masharn Franklin, 53, of Detroit, tricked the city into writing bogus checks in the names of her relatives and then depositing the checks, reports Baldas:
In 2016 and 2017, Franklin was responsible for overseeing the execution of garnishment orders for the salaries of Detroit city employees. While performing this duty, prosecutors said, Franklin concocted a scheme that involved money being garnished from city funds in the names of her relatives. Once the city had issued checks — in amounts dictated by Franklin — Franklin then deposited the checks into bank accounts held jointly by her and her relatives.
"Today’s conviction demonstrates that the federal authorities will continue to assist the City of Detroit to ensure that such behavior will not be tolerated as the city continues its comeback,” U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider says in a statement.
