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Former Deltona Cub Scout pack treasurer Eloisa "Ellie" C. Hilton, 37, a Volusia County high-school teacher, was arrested after reportedly stealing about $9,500 of the pack's money.

 

A review of the pack's checking account showed $2,770 in unauthorized transactions, according to deputies, including electric-, cable- and phone-bill payments.

 

There also were payments for grocery bills, gas-station charges and several nights at a Tampa hotel dating from May 2014 to March 2015.

 

"Another $1,000.66 in funds raised by selling popcorn and discount cards was never deposited into the bank, investigators found," the news release said. The thefts totaled $9,456.

 

Hilton was given $27,493.09 cash to deposit, but only $21,808.51 made it to the bank.

...

In a teacher's profile on the school's website, Hilton described herself as a passionate teacher of 10 years and a married mother of three. She also said she enjoys traveling.

 

"I have been to London, Wales, Paris and Dublin," Hilton wrote, "and I have plans to go to Greece, Italy and Spain in the future."

 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-deltona-cub-scout-treasurer-arrest-20150527-story.html

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/former-volusia-cub-scout-treasurer-arrested-theft-/nmPW4/

 

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It is ironic that we realize background checks are not sufficient for youth safety, so we need and require adults watching adults - two deep leadership as the better way to keep our youth safe.

 

Money safety is another matter, we trust $27K cash with a lone adult. :unsure:

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As a pack Treasurer,  I'm keenly aware of how easily money can be siphoned away by a dishonest Treasurer.

 

 

My #1 way to protect the pack is to insure that the Pack Committee Chair sees the checking account statement each month,  which includes images of all checks that have been cashed. I also provide a monthly statement of expenses and revenues at the Pack Committee meeting.

 

I review the expenses submitted by pack leaders and pay them.  Frankly,  I've never had occasion to reject a expense claim,  but at our last Pack Committee Meeting our Cubmaster (who ran the popcorn sale too)  stated that he's driven 150 miles one weekend to do the popcorn sale business.  I sent him a check for $90 for car expenses @ $.60 mile. 

 

Frankly,  it's tough to get volunteers to claim the expenses they are due in many cases.

 

I ENCOURAGE volunteers to submit their expenses.  Reimbursing them is the least we can do for their generous commitment of time.

 

I submit my expenses to the Pack Committee Chair who can write a check for any amount of expenses that he considers necessary and reasonable.

 

The biggest gap in accountability is in making deposits  --- especially cash.  I aim to write up every payment I receive in our receipt book,  whether its cash, check, Scout Account of (Square)credit card payment.   If it gets written down,  I can reconcile the payment later and account for it properly.

 

But people want to hand me money and payments during den meetings and such when I can't write receipts.  I have to refuse payments,  which I don't like doing either.

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Seems to me, unless she was forging signatures, that she wouldn't have been able to make her cable and utility payments from the Pack's checkbook if a second signature was required. 

Our Treasurer accidentally and I do mean accidentally wrote a check for personal expense she got the check books confused we do require two signatures but the bank cleared the check anyway so that does not even offer any protection    

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Our Treasurer accidentally and I do mean accidentally wrote a check for personal expense she got the check books confused we do require two signatures but the bank cleared the check anyway so that does not even offer any protection    

The bank didn't catch it, but likely the two unit authorized members who correctly signed the next check noticed that the previous check(s) was not properly authorized by two authorized members (carbon copy) and was for personal reasons. More proactive than reactive.

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Forget bank statements and dual-signature checks.  Have the CC and treasurer both have on-line access to the bank account.  Glance at it once a week, know what the transactions are supposed to be, something unexplained gets answered in a quick e-mail. 

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Forget bank statements and dual-signature checks.  Have the CC and treasurer both have on-line access to the bank account.  Glance at it once a week, know what the transactions are supposed to be, something unexplained gets answered in a quick e-mail. 

 

Yup. And you can set alerts for all deposits and withdrawals and even set the amount level with which you want to be notified. Expecting popcorn money to be deposited? If you don't get the notification within a reasonable amount of time, fire off an email to the treasurer reminder her you're expecting that money to be deposited.

 

If people use the tools available to them management of anything is easier.

Edited by Bad Wolf
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Nine months of theft? There was no oversight.

 

Yes. Checking after the fact by viewing online, statements at a TC meeting etc. can be problematic as people get busy or forget, that's why I favor a unit financial policy of two signatures on each check. Not foolproof.

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