Former Sheriff’s Office Accountant Now Accused Of Stealing $1.2 Million

March 9, 2010

The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department now says over $1 million was stolen from their department by a former accountant.

Cathy Lister was first charged in February with stealing $100,000 from the sheriff’s office, but that number has grown to $1.2 million as the investigation continues, according to Sgt. Ted Roy, ECSO spokesperson. Roy said Monday that the money was taken over a 10 year period from monies seized as part of investigations and placed the department’s Evidence Trust Fund.

The State Attorney’s Office is expected to upgrade the charges against Lister.

Lister was 32-year employee of the department who retired  from the finance division just days before her arrest.

“Recently implemented accounting practices along with discrepancies noticed by employees led to an investigation being launched,” Roy said in February. Lister was reportedly keeping two sets of financial records for the office.

Lister was released from the Escambia County Jail on $25,000 bond. Her trial is scheduled to begin in June. She was pleaded not guilty to the current charges against her.

Comments

8 Responses to “Former Sheriff’s Office Accountant Now Accused Of Stealing $1.2 Million”

  1. robert on March 9th, 2010 11:27 pm

    well i say good for her ……….she must have had a good teacher. im sure the s.o. has many more crooks working there they just havent got caught.

  2. anydaynow on March 9th, 2010 1:28 pm

    EscambiaCountyResident-I agree. One would think this would have been discovered long ago if they had been balancing the books.
    If she had been a bank employee, we would NEVER have known about the embezelment, because banks turn a blind eye, or at best just fire them. Bad for business, don’t cha know.

  3. Escambia County Resident on March 9th, 2010 10:44 am

    Did she have assistance from others in this endevor? I find it difficult to comprehend that this could not have been uncovered at some point over the number of years that it supposedly went on unless she had help from higher up.

  4. bill, big b little ill on March 9th, 2010 8:11 am

    I don’t know if this lady has stolen all this money or not. If she did it makes me wonder does a theif ever say I have stolen enough. But I also wonder if maybe money that has came up missing else where in the sheriffs office may just be tacking it on to her.
    Not accusing her or the office, just wondering out loud.

  5. Bob on March 9th, 2010 7:58 am

    Somewhere at some point our judicial system has to put some teeth in these kind of crimes. It is completely out of hand and these people know they can embezzle funds from their employer and get nothing more than a slap on the wrist. Appointed judges as well as those elected play both ends against the middle . It’s all about dirty politics and we are so well blessed with that in every segment of our political system.

  6. Local Yocal on March 9th, 2010 7:04 am

    Mickey- HA HA, that was funny- I don’t think Alabama’s Sheriff office ever seen a million dollars!!

  7. William on March 9th, 2010 6:54 am

    > Alabama or Florida?

    Since we are NorthEscambia.com in Florida, when we say Escambia County, it is always Florida. We print Escambia County (Ala.) when it’s our northerly neighbors.

  8. Mickey Powell on March 9th, 2010 5:33 am

    Alabama or Florida?