Yikes!
WENATCHEE — The former treasurer of the Masonic Lodge in Chelan has been charged with forgery after nearly $50,000 was taken from the organization’s bank accounts.
Harry P. Himmelhaver, 56, of Brewster, is charged with seven counts of forgery in Chelan County Superior Court. On Monday, Judge T.W. “Chip†Small denied his request for a public defender even though he does not have a job, noting that his wife works and that they own their home “outright,†according to court documents.
He is scheduled to enter a plea Jan. 20.
According to court documents, the president of the Masonic Lodge contacted the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office in October to report that $47,000 was missing from a money market account. The documents state Himmelhaver was the treasurer of the lodge, but was not authorized to do anything with the money market account.
Himmelhaver is accused of transferring money by writing checks from the money market account at North Cascades National Bank to the Masonic Lodge’s checking account, which he was authorized to access.
He is suspected of then withdrawing the money from the checking account and making withdrawals with the lodge’s debit card at ATMs in Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan counties and using the card to make purchases.
The documents state that he falsified seven checks ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 each.
In a recorded statement to investigators on Oct. 19, Himmelhaver admitted to taking the money, and said he used it to gamble at Mill Bay Casino in Manson and at the Okanogan Bingo Casino in Okanogan, court documents state. He also admitted to buying a camera with the money.
Himmelhaver could not be reached for comment.
Source: http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/jan/08/treasurer-for-masons-faces-forgery-case/
WENATCHEE — The former treasurer of the Masonic Lodge in Chelan has been charged with forgery after nearly $50,000 was taken from the organization’s bank accounts.
Harry P. Himmelhaver, 56, of Brewster, is charged with seven counts of forgery in Chelan County Superior Court. On Monday, Judge T.W. “Chip†Small denied his request for a public defender even though he does not have a job, noting that his wife works and that they own their home “outright,†according to court documents.
He is scheduled to enter a plea Jan. 20.
According to court documents, the president of the Masonic Lodge contacted the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office in October to report that $47,000 was missing from a money market account. The documents state Himmelhaver was the treasurer of the lodge, but was not authorized to do anything with the money market account.
Himmelhaver is accused of transferring money by writing checks from the money market account at North Cascades National Bank to the Masonic Lodge’s checking account, which he was authorized to access.
He is suspected of then withdrawing the money from the checking account and making withdrawals with the lodge’s debit card at ATMs in Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan counties and using the card to make purchases.
The documents state that he falsified seven checks ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 each.
In a recorded statement to investigators on Oct. 19, Himmelhaver admitted to taking the money, and said he used it to gamble at Mill Bay Casino in Manson and at the Okanogan Bingo Casino in Okanogan, court documents state. He also admitted to buying a camera with the money.
Himmelhaver could not be reached for comment.
Source: http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/jan/08/treasurer-for-masons-faces-forgery-case/