At least Cheri Logue paid back what she stole. Otherwise, things might be looking worse. On March 1, Logue, former secretary-bookkeeper for Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services Inc. (SPLS), was sentenced in Pittsburgh federal court to 22 months in prison for embezzling more than $188,000 from the Legal Services Corp.-funded organization. She had been fired from her position in June 2008 following growing suspicions that she had stolen funds.
According to court documents, Logue, now 42, a resident of Claysville, Pa., had been employed at the Washington, Pa.-based legal clinic during October 2001-June 2008. During the last three years of this period she diverted SPLS funds to her own use via 467 transactions. She obtained the funds through writing checks, making ATM withdrawals and using the agency credit card. Logue used the money mainly to pay bills and cover gambling losses. Authorities stated that she paid back all the stolen money.
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