Audit: Former Oakdale Clerk Misappropriated $360,000
A newly-released audit says the former Oakdale city clerk transferred $360,000 in municipal funds into three different personal bank accounts.
The Legislative Auditor's office released that audit early Monday morning.
According to the auditor's findings, Melissa Schaefer misappropriated $248,563.58 in city money during the 2019-20 fiscal year and another $109,461.98 afterward. The audit says Schaefer had sole access to two electronic devices that allowed her to transfer the funds to her accounts and insert her own descriptions for those postings onto bank statements.
The investigation into the alleged misappropriation continues. Charges have not been and will not be filed against Schaefer. She died on March 11 after a battle with cancer. She was 58.
The audit says no restitution has been made, but the city did file fidelity bond insurance claims of $35,000 and $50,000. Furthermore, the audit of two city employees will have access to the electronic devices at the center of this case to prevent a situation like this from happening again. The audit report adds that the mayor will directly receive bank reports and bank statements detailing money transfers.