14 charged in UNT payroll fraud scheme | Dallas Morning News

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14 charged in UNT payroll fraud scheme

Ex-library school worker, son accused in $250,000 theft

08:04 AM CST on Friday, January 23, 2004

By DONNA FIELDER / Denton Record-Chronicle

DENTON – A 20-year employee of the University of North Texas organized a scheme to steal more than $250,000 from the school by allowing students and friends of her son to falsify employee timesheets, police said Thursday.

Patti Dale, 47, of Denton and 13 others face charges ranging from theft of more than $1,500 to theft of more than $200,000 and engaging in organized criminal activity. Thirteen people have been arrested in the case, and police are seeking another suspect.

According to an affidavit, Ms. Dale admitted in police interviews that she issued payments for work not performed and took back some of the money paid. She also admitted hiring friends of her son without authorization, paying them for work they did not do and receiving payment from them, the affidavit said.

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