April 20--Former Oak Brook Park District employee Mary Tansey faces misdemeanor theft charges for allegedly stealing nearly $30,000 from the Oak Brook Park District Foundation.
Tansey, 37, of Clarendon Hills, turned herself in Tuesday to Oak Brook police.
Foundation officials learned of possible embezzlement by the former park district employee in March when they discovered $29,269.70 missing from the foundation's account. Oak Brook police tracked unauthorized personal purchases and cash withdrawals made by Tansey, who was in-charge of corporate and community relations for the park district.
Laure Kosey, the park district's executive director, said the funds were stolen over the period of April 2014 to Feb. 3, 2016, Tansey's final day of work at the park district.
The funds stolen from the foundation were insured and immediately restored to the foundation's account by Fifth Third Bank, Kosey said.
The Oak Brook Park District Foundation is a nonprofit organization that is not governed by the park district, but supports its efforts. Tansey assisted in fundraising services for the foundation, Kosey said.
Tansey had been in a position of trust for the Oak Brook Park District for more than 22 years, and had strong ties to the community, Kosey said. Tansey resigned in February in lieu of termination after officials discovered that her access card to park district facilities was used by another former employee, Clint Lauderdale.
Lauderdale, 45, of Arlington Heights, allegedly used Tansey's access card to enter park district property, police said. He removed $100 from vending machines at the Family Recreation Center during 13 incidents, said Sgt. Ben Kadolph of the Oak Brook Police Department. Kadolph said Tuesday there was a warrant out for Lauderdale's arrest.
Kosey said Lauderdale was hired in February 2011 as facility manager and was promoted to director of parks. He was dismissed Aug. 3, 2015 for falsifying documents and misrepresenting himself, Kosey said.
"This is a very sad day for the park district," Kosey said.
Tansey was not immediately available for comment Tuesday regarding the charges.
