Opinion ID: 203944
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Thefts from CGF

Text: Sicher was also able to use her position to encourage fundraising for CGF, to steal from CGF's bank account, and to steal funds meant to be deposited to the accounts. She took blank, unsigned checks for CGF, which were intended for funding research grants and for which Dr. Walton was the sole authorized signatory. Sicher made 61 of those checks payable to herself from CGF and deposited them into her personal bank account, taking a total of $172,995 from the CGF account. She also stole at least seven donations made by check from third parties for a total of $9,850. She used the signature stamp she had made of Dr. Walton's signature to indorse the checks in order to carry out these thefts. She also took cash donations made to CGF, which the defendant told the government totaled approximately $10,170. These actions were admittedly taken without the authorization of Dr. Walton. They were also taken without his knowledge or permission. But it is not the formal job description which is at issue but the actual responsibilities of her job. Sicher was able to conceal these actions because of the scope of her duties. For example, she, not Dr. Walton, was responsible for opening and reviewing CGF's monthly bank statements, and presumably reconciling accounts. For at least five years, she showed Dr. Walton only the first page of the statements which show the balance for the CGF account. She destroyed the remaining pages that showed the cleared, forged checks. Dr. Walton deferred to Sicher's representations about the finances of both his practice and CGF after seeing only the first page of the bank statements and did not conduct a supervisory review of her accounting. Sicher was given increased responsibilities over the years because, Dr. Walton said, he trusted her and had confidence in her. His office essentially had no checks and balances on the discretion she had in both of her roles.