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Embezzlement Claims Examples

Claims Involving a House Director

  • The House Director purchased personal items on the Chapter’s account.  The Chapter became aware of unusual purchases such as gift cards and began to investigate further.  During the investigation, the Chapter discovered that when they would issue a check to Costco, the House Director would purchase gift cards for her personal use instead of food for the Chapter. The insurance carrier paid $7,326.90. The total amount of the loss was $9826.90  A $2,500 retention was applied.
  • The House Director would alter/increase Sam’s Club invoices when she submitted them to the House Corporation for reimbursement. The insurance carrier paid $134,036.87. The total loss was $234,036.87. A $100,000 retention applied.
  • The House Director opened a second Costco account membership without the knowledge of the House Corporation. The House Director used the card to purchase Costco Cash Cards, gift certificates and other personal items. The insurance carrier paid $53,066.94. The total amount of the loss was $58,066.94. A $5,000 retention was applied.

Claims Involving the House Corporation

  • The House Corporation Treasurer embezzled approximately $37,000. The majority of the funds were taken by the Treasurer writing checks for cash. The embezzlement was discovered when the new House Corporation Board took over and realized that payroll withholding tax had not been paid, which lead to an audit. At the time the money was embezzled, the checks did not require two signatures. The insurance carrier paid $32,000. A $5,000 retention was applied.
  • The House Corporation Treasurer embezzled money from the House Corporation funds. The House Corporation Treasurer wrote checks for cash and for personal items. The checks only required one signature. The claim was discovered when a new House Corporation Treasurer took over. The insurance carrier made a payment of $146,859. The total amount of the loss was $149,359. A $2,500 retention was applied.
  • The House Corporation Treasurer wrote checks to pay for the remodeling of her house. Only one signature was required on the checks. The loss was discovered by another member of the House Corporation during an annual review. The insurance carrier made a payment of $16,856.96. The total amount of the loss was $19,358. A $2,500 retention was applied.
  • The House Corporation Treasurer issued checks to herself and made ATM withdrawals using the House Corporation’s bank card for personal purchases.  The loss was gradually discovered when the Treasurer became difficult to reach, checks started bouncing and bills started to go unpaid. At the time, the House Corporation only required one signature to be on checks. The insurance carrier paid $33,143. The total amount of the loss was $35,643. A $2,500 retention was applied.
  • A House Corporation President stole over a million dollars over a seven year period. The House Corporation President would use House Corporation funds to pay several of her personal credit cards every month. Most of the payments were coded under food, house supplies, and repairs. The House Corporation President was the only board member. Therefore, no one else was reviewing payments issued out of the House Corporation’s account. The loss was discovered when another volunteer assumed the role of the House Corporation President. The volunteer immediately questioned payments issued to credit cards companies as the House Corporation did not have a credit card in their name. The insurance carrier paid the policy limit of $500,000. The total amount of the loss was $1,600,000.
  • A House Corporation President stole $106,348. The loss was discovered as the House Corporation President failed to respond to a new House Corporation member. The new House Corporation member was able to follow a paper trail to find out the bank the House Corporation used. It was discovered that the account had been depleted. The funds were used for the House Corporation President’s personal use. Only once signature was required to be on the checks and the House Corporation President was the only person with access to the House Corporations account. The insurance carrier paid $101,348. A $5,000 retention was applied to the loss.
  • A House Corporation President colluded with a third party and stole approximately $3,000,000. The House Corporation President set up a separate account without the knowledge of the other members of the House Corporation. The House Corporation used dual controls for legitimate business purchases.  The insured carrier paid the policy limit of $500,000.

Claims Involving Chapter Officers

  • The Chapter Treasurer wrote checks to herself by signing the previous Chapter Treasurer’s name to the checks. The loss was discovered when the Chapter discovered unpaid bills.  After learning of the unpaid bills, the Chapter ordered bank statements and discovered the embezzlement. The insurance carrier paid $4,674.11. The total amount of the loss was $7,174.11. A $2,500 retention was applied.
  • The Chapter Treasurer stole Chapter funds by issuing reimbursement checks to herself. The Treasurer falsified a spreadsheet and made up expenses that she allegedly incurred. When questioned about this, the Treasurer could not provide any documentation or receipts. The loss was discovered when bills were not being paid. The insurance carrier paid $10,782.73. The total amount of the loss was $13,282.73. A $2,500 retention was applied.

Claims Involving Headquarters Staff

  • The Finance Director wrote checks to herself and other entities. The loss was discovered after the Finance Director was terminated. While cleaning out her desk, checks with forged signatures were discovered. This prompted the organization to review their bank accounts. It was discovered that the Finance Director had been making payments to her mortgage and credit card companies for a few years. The insurance carrier paid out $80,043.59. The total amount of the loss was $85,043.59. A $5,000 retention was applied.
  • An employee and her husband colluded to steal badges that had been returned to the organization and stored at Headquarters. Additionally, the employee was also misdirecting the shipments of new member badges to her home address and selling for scrap value. Both the former employee and her husband were arrested. The insurance carrier paid the policy limit of $500,000. The total amount of the loss was $696,803.

Retentions are used by Chubb Insurance and they are also called deductibles which is more commonly known.  You will find varying retentions depending upon:

  1. When the claim occurred (insurance company keeps increasing the deductibles as the claims experience trends in the negative
  2. When the claim occurred and whether there was evidence of dual controls