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Principal Accused of Gambling with Embezzled Money27 January 2003ILLINOIS – As reported by the Chicago Sun-Times: "Some $85,000 in sick pay due a retired Chicago elementary school principal has been seized pending an investigation into allegations the woman embezzled $66,000 in school funds while racking up a $170,000 gambling debt at the Hollywood Casino in Aurora, school officials say. "Myrtle Burton-Sahara opened a paper trail leading to the discovery of her gambling habit and alleged misuse of school funds when she retired in December 2000 as principal of Locke Elementary, 2845 N. Newcastle, said interim Schools Inspector General James Sullivan. "Her retirement triggered a routine `transition audit' that ultimately led to evidence that over a five-year period, from at least 1995 until her retirement, she had written out more than $66,000 in school checks and other transactions to herself without submitting the proper paperwork for the expenditures, Sullivan said last week. "The retired principal on Sunday denied the allegations. "…Burton-Sahara said she occasionally visited the casinos but did not have a `gambling habit' or addiction. "The inspector general's office, working with the Cook County state's attorney's office, obtained detailed gaming records showing Burton-Sahara had lost $170,000 gambling during that time, Sullivan said. "The records indicated she had been a frequent visitor of the Hollywood Casino gambling boat in Aurora, often stopping there `quite a few times a week,'' Sullivan said…" |