Portland Press Herald
Woman to plead guilty in embezzlement case
Susan LeClair is charged in the theft of $257,000 from a nonprofit group that aids the mentally ill.
By BETTY ADAMS Blethen Maine News Service January 3, 2008
AUGUSTA — A Waterville woman will plead guilty next week to stealing $257,000 from a nonprofit group that advocates for Maine residents affected by mental illness, her lawyer said.
Susan LeClair, 32, handled bookkeeping and other financial matters for the Maine chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill during the four-year period that the money was
embezzled.
LeClair faces four felony theft charges, each carrying a maximum of 10 years in prison, in connection with the money taken from NAMI-Maine.
Her attorney, Jason Jabar, said LeClair intends to plead guilty to the charges at her initial court appearance on Wednesday.
"She got caught up in doing something she knew was wrong," Jabar said. "Unfortunately, it snowballed, and by the time it came to light, it was too late for her to just apologize and walk away from the situation."
NAMI-Maine Executive Director Carol Carothers said LeClair worked for the Augusta-based agency for eight years. She said the theft was uncovered during an audit this fall.
District Attorney Evert Fowle said Wednesday that although LeClair cooperated with investigators, none of the money has been returned. Fowle said the sentence to be recommended to the judge includes restitution.
"We've worked very closely with the Augusta police and the local chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill," Fowle said. "We're going to do what we can to achieve a just result."
Jabar said LeClair has no assets that could be sold to repay the money. He declined to say where the money went, citing only "extenuating circumstances."
He said LeClair has been out of work since the theft was uncovered.
"She has been a stay-at-home mom and is trying to deal with the issue," Jabar said.
Carothers said the agency continues to operate and is insured for about half of the missing money. The group's operating budget this fiscal year is a little more than $700,000.
Carothers said internal procedures have been changed.
"We are struggling, but we're open and we're going to carry out our mission," she said.
NAMI-Maine estimates that 240,000 people in Maine are affected by mental illness.