Jan. 6, 2020 1:30p
(WGTD)---A UW-Madison accounting professor pays a back-handed complement to the former Caledonia village employee who allegedly embezzled well over $300,000.
"He was very aggressive," said Prof. Brian Mayhew in a WGTD News interview. "He had a pretty good scheme there."
Mayhew, at the request of WGTD, took a look then reacted to the criminal complaint that’s been filed against James Svoboda, a former Caledonia employee who ran parks-related services.
Since the loss was uncovered early last year, Caledonia officials have implemented numerous check-and-balance safeguards to prevent future problems.
Prof. Mayhew says the case is another reminder that those of us who have organizational oversight authority need to be vigilant. "We certainly hear these stories pretty regularly of a rogue employee embezzling funds like this," Mayhew said. "I think it should give all of us pause to consider who has sole access to accounts like this and even though it's uncomfortable, any of us in authority should ask to see these accounts from time to time."
It's natural for elected officials to place their emphasis on maximizing the funding of actual services rather than putting resources into accounting controls, but it's something that obviously needs to be done, Mayhew said.
Separation of duties is key to preventing fraud, he said.
Svoboda is due back in court late next month for a status hearing on his case.
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