Sara Lee Moon, who has been working as a gambling manager at the Prosser Veterans of Foreign Wars Post, has been detained due to allegations of first-degree theft. Moon is being held at the Benton County Jail.
The Theft Was Discovered after Routine Check from Washington State Gambling Commission
Back in February 2022, the Washington State Gambling Commission performed a routine check at the Prosser Veterans of Foreign Wars Post. As part of this audit, all records related to gambling activities at the Post were inspected.
As a result, the Washington State Gambling Commission quickly discovered that funds are missing. This led to a criminal investigation being conducted by the Commission, which took many months before Sara Lee Moon was identified as the main suspect.
Moon joined the Prosser Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in June 2019. Her job title was gambling manager and she was responsible for running the gambling and bar accounts.
The investigation conducted by the Washington State Gambling Commission revealed that in this position of trust, she was able to defraud over $300,000. Moon created bank accounts to her name and was able to transfer some of the funds there. It took a large number of transactions spanning over a few years to steal such a large amount.
It was discovered that Moon started her criminal activity not long after joining the Prosser Veterans of Foreign Wars Post. Moon took advantage of the fact that she was entrusted with confidence and responsibility by her employer and her position facilitated the execution of her crimes.
Moon Not the First Worker to Betray an Employer’s Trust
It is not the first time trusted employees betray the confidence instilled in them and steal money from their employers. Just last week an elderly Indianapolis church staff member was arrested on similar charges. Marie Carson, who was business manager at the church, stole $573,836.59 from the church accounts, which mainly came from parish donations. Another recent case, saw two clerks from Flordell Hills, Missouri, stealing the whopping amount of $663,604 from the city’s coffers. The two women allegedly forged the mayor’s and the city treasurer’s signatures and issued over 600 checks to their names. They used the funds for gambling and paying their bills and taxes.