Grant County EDC sues former bookkeeper

by Lynne Lynch<br>Herald Staff Writer
| March 21, 2008 9:00 PM

Schindler accused of embezzling $186,533

EPHRATA - The Grant County Economic Development Council recently filed a civil suit against its former bookkeeper to recover about $186,533 she allegedly embezzled.

The EDC claims the money was taken over a period of about two and a half years.

Melissa Schindler was placed on unpaid administrative leave in January from her job at the EDC after money was discovered missing from the organization.

The civil suit was filed on March 4 in Grant County Superior Court against Schindler and her husband, Josh Schindler. Court documents didn't detail how the alleged theft happened.

The criminal investigation into the case was still active on Thursday. No charges have been filed.

The Grant County Sheriff's Office is waiting for requested documents from the Schindlers' banks and the last of the documents were supposed to have arrived by Wednesday, said Detective Kim Cook of the sheriff's office.

Detectives are trying to learn where the money allegedly went and what it was allegedly used for, Cook said.

He said the sheriff's office received some of the requested banking information in three days.

The other bank doesn't maintain online records and its employees are searching through records by hand, he said.

Attempts at phone contact with Melissa Schindler by the Columbia Basin Herald were unsuccessful as a woman at the home hung up. A further attempt went unanswered.

The EDC's Executive Director Terry Brewer said the organization decided to file a civil suit because one never knows what the outcome of a criminal trial will be.

The reported loss exceeds the amount of the office's insurance policy, he said. He declined to name the difference and added that it wasn't clear how much insurance money the EDC will collect.

It's suspected she deleted records from the office's QuickBooks program, he said.

Brewer said new controls have been put in place at the EDC and the organization will make sure it has "more hands and more eyes" involved in its financial activities.