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A high-living husband and wife team could face up to 310 years in jail and $310,000 in fines – each – if they’re found guilty in a major embezzlement scam. Dinah Maier-Auman and Robert Auman are accused of diverting over $1.1 million, and perhaps as much as $3.5 million, from Dinah’s employer, Construction Concepts, in Madison. Just after Dinah was hired as the chief financial officer of the company, husband Robert opened an account at M & I Bank of Hilldale for a name-only business called Normark Construction. The only checks ever deposited into Normark’s account were drawn on the Construction Concepts account.
Extensive investigation shows little left from a ten-year spending spree. Over the years the Aumans purchased five boats, including a 50-foot, internationally certified vessel used for sail-fishing. There was also a leased Lexus, jewelry, furs and weekly first-class airline tickets to Florida. When the scam was discovered, the Normark account contained less than $2,000.
An unfortunate side effect may have been felt by Construction Concepts owner Douglas Frakes. A year ago Frakes pleaded guilty in federal court to a check-kiting scheme that involved the movement of $24 million between accounts at the First Business Bank of Madison and the First National Bank and Trust of Monroe. He was caught, charged and sent to prison when the First Business account came up $431,461 short. The loss amount has since been repaid to First Business and the assessed fine of $15,000 has also been paid – but Frakes is serving a 15-month prison term. Who is to know, then, what would have happened if Frakes had not been short the few million that was diverted to Dinah and Robert Auman.
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