
Video Poker 247
- Video Poker Leads to Theft
Kathi Alford was a pillar in her community. The 52 year old was Lake
Oswego’s former head of emergency communications and their unsworn
administrative police captain. However, she was also a video poker
addict and a thief, but no one knew that until it was too late.
Alford worked for the county for 15 years and during that time she
allegedly stole $55,000 from the Oregon Association of Public-Safety
Communications Officials. It is believed that the money went to her
video poker addiction.
The theft was not discovered until after she retired in June 2005, and
her former co-workers say that they are shocked by the allegations –
so shocked that many didn’t believe it to be true until Alford herself
pled guilty in court. She was sentenced to 19 months in prison and
must pay back $10,000.
For ten of the years that she worked for them, Alford was in charge of
collecting APCO’s vendors’ fees. She set up an account to deposit the
checks in 1996 and withdrew the money to play video poker. When she
retired they discovered the $55,000 shortage which is twice their
annual budget. Alford repaid the majority of the debt with the $10,000
still remaining unpaid.
Alford is not the first one to use state funds for video poker. Elma
Magkamit was found guilty of stealing funds from the city of West Linn
to fund her video poker and slot machine habits as well.
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March 2008 Archive