Eastern Railroad Discussion > Volunteer steals nearly $100,000 from WK&S

http://www.wfmz.com/news/news-regional-berks/volunteer-steals-nearly-100000-from-wanamaker-kempton-and-southern-railroad-police-say/25841952

Sad story.

And a reminder that criminal background checks and regular auditing will sometimes detect problems before they become big problems.

I hope they can get the money back somehow.

What a tool.

Do tourist railroads run background checks on volunteers? I am not that familiar on how tourist railroads operate. IF that criminal background check would have been done then they would have found out he plead guilty to child pornography charges back in 1999...not much "character" when it comes to this knob.

The creepy things is I've had my daughter to ride this line at least 3 times now (she's 4 years old), and have seen this guy there. I'm disgusted with him.

That said I know several of the other volunteers who I am sure are also disgusted and who will make sure this doesn't happen ever again.

I'll happily take my daughter back to ride again soon. I encourage anyone traveling or living in eastern PA to do the same as this little line really is a gem and the organization I am sure can use our help.

Dan

Posted from iPhone



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/14 16:03 by dschlegel.

Perhaps in addition to the criminal charges, they can file a civil suit to liquidate his assets (like his house) and get the money back.

Forever-Railfan-45 Wrote:
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> Do tourist railroads run background checks on
> volunteers? (snip)

It depends on the kind of organization, and whether it is covered under state laws (teachers, psychologists, etc often are) or organization policy (Boy Scouts require a background check for adult leaders and volunteers). My church requires a background check for school volunteers and teachers, youth ministers, chaperones, ushers, deacons, etc but NOT for full time ministerial staff (go figure!).

FWIW, I'm surprised that whoever provides bonding and insurance for the WK&S didn't require background checks etc on any staff handling money, receipts, etc. That's pretty basic. But a person could move from a job that doesn't require a check, like Maintenance of Way, into a job selling tickets or keeping / cooking the books.

> My church requires
> a background check for school volunteers and
> teachers, youth ministers, chaperones, ushers,
> deacons, etc but NOT for full time ministerial
> staff (go figure!).

Perhaps because of how your church's insurance policies are written.

A recent case in Garrett, IN had the lady keeping books for a church embezzling 300+ thousand dollars over a several year period.

Anybody handling the money in these non-profit/volunteer type organizations should have at a minimum a background check.

FDF

TrainCatcher Wrote:
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> A recent case in Garrett, IN had the lady keeping
> books for a church embezzling 300+ thousand
> dollars over a several year period.
>
> Anybody handling the money in these
> non-profit/volunteer type organizations should
> have at a minimum a background check.
>
> FDF


They need to have audits, and also to have D&O insurance. Many small volunteer organizations do neither.

Wurli1938 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> TrainCatcher Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > A recent case in Garrett, IN had the lady
> keeping
> > books for a church embezzling 300+ thousand
> > dollars over a several year period.
> >
> > Anybody handling the money in these
> > non-profit/volunteer type organizations should
> > have at a minimum a background check.
> >
> > FDF
>

A lot of groups simply can't afford it.
>
> They need to have audits, and also to have D&O
> insurance. Many small volunteer organizations do
> neither.

rev66vette Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Wurli1938 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------

> A lot of groups simply can't afford it.


> > They need to have audits, and also to have D&O
> > insurance. Many small volunteer organizations
> do
> > neither.

question is ... can they afford not too ???



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/14 15:27 by Out_Of_Service.

I think in this day and age that all organizations should do background checks. After the events at PSU, we've seen how one incident can turn an organization upside down. A group like that WKS would be finished if they this guy did anything since (like it or not) they'd be liable. There's more than a handful of creeps in this hobby (& society in general), unfortunately, and you can never be too careful. I can think of at least two examples when I was a minor where I was volunteering for a rr-related group and had someone act questionably around myself & others. Nothing close to illegal, but it makes you wonder for sure.

Posted from iPhone



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/07/14 18:36 by rbmn5022.

Background checks are a good preventive measure. Separation of functions is another. Regular, rigorous audits for which the board of directors (not management) is directly involved are a detection mechanism and also a deterrent. None of these is foolproof, but the combination of them works quite well. When there is fraud, usually it's because at least one of these was omitted.

Almost any non-profit (church, community org, RR group etc.) can ask people with accounting backgrounds to do an audit. It takes maybe six hours per year on one Saturday. It is a good practice. They will issue a report.

OK playing devil's advocate;

If this person pleaded guilty and served his sentence and was no longer required to be on a watch list or probation, etc. How could the group legally prevent him from volunteering?

-----
Now my personal opinion as human being and father, anyone that commits any type of crime against a child, especially this type should be locked up and the key thrown away or as in NJ they end up on a watch list, have to register with local authorities, etc.

As to his financial shenanigans, audits, audits, audits! And have more than one person working on the books. I worked for a volunteer organization where it would have been very easy to cook the books or take funds. I never saw it happen under my watch, but I was a very hands on President as far as the financials and working with the Treasurer. I would also have the Treasurer report everything at the meetings, income, liabilities, tickets sales, etc. I wanted it very transparent for all the members.

cjvrr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> OK playing devil's advocate;
>
> If this person pleaded guilty and served his
> sentence and was no longer required to be on a
> watch list or probation, etc. How could the group
> legally prevent him from volunteering?
>
> -----
> Now my personal opinion as human being and father,
> anyone that commits any type of crime against a
> child, especially this type should be locked up
> and the key thrown away or as in NJ they end up on
> a watch list, have to register with local
> authorities, etc.
>
> As to his financial shenanigans, audits, audits,
> audits! And have more than one person working on
> the books. I worked for a volunteer organization
> where it would have been very easy to cook the
> books or take funds. I never saw it happen under
> my watch, but I was a very hands on President as
> far as the financials and working with the
> Treasurer. I would also have the Treasurer
> report everything at the meetings, income,
> liabilities, tickets sales, etc. I wanted it
> very transparent for all the members.

That's a commendable way to do it. And, speaks well to your integrity.

But it also requires a culture where members are engaged and active. Where a $20,000 expense to Lowe's would draw a question, or require a counter signature. Or a project on which the charge is associated. That takes active involvement, and multiple people looking at the flow of expenses and income.

cjvrr Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> OK playing devil's advocate;
>
> If this person pleaded guilty and served his
> sentence and was no longer required to be on a
> watch list or probation, etc. How could the group
> legally prevent him from volunteering?
>
> ...

My understanding is that once a person is on the sex offender list, they remain on the list. Maybe it is a state by state decision. I believe there have been arguments that this should not be the case, but I believe it still is.

Also, background checks are relatively inexpensive. I am on the board of a large girls softball association and we background check all 100+ coaches and 20+ board members each year. The charge is below $10 per background check.

Jay

I don't know that being on a sex-offender list should preclude one from being a volunteer on a heritage railroad, though it would surely be a red flag for serving that railroad in a capacity that exposes said volunteer to, um, temptation.

And in that regard, I don't know that it would be a red flag for someone to be the organization's treasurer. A better check for that position would be to get a credit report, which is now common in the business world for any applicants to jobs that involve handling company funds.