AP/Lang
9/12/20
The former office manager of the Iowa City Area Development Group has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for a 13-year theft scheme in which she misspent more than a half-million dollars.
The U.S. attorney’s office said in a news release that 48-year-old Sheri Jelinek of North Liberty was also ordered to make full restitution to the nonprofit and its insurance company. ICAD, which promotes workforce and economic development, is funded by local businesses.
A charging document indicated Jelinek used the group’s money from 2004 to 2017 for more than 10,000 unauthorized purchases on its credit card that totaled $502,000.
The investigation determined that Jelinek spent the money on the Home Shopping Network, Hulu, Walmart, the Linn County Rural Electrical Cooperative and other personal purchases.
Jelinek pleaded guilty last year to seven counts of wire fraud. Prosecutors say she made more than $460,000 in improper or personal charges on the organization’s credit cards.