Morning Sentinel
Theft probe hits agency advocating for mentally ill
NAMI OFFICE IN AUGUSTA
By MEGHAN V. MALLOY
Staff Writer 10/18/2007
AUGUSTA -- Authorities are investigating the embezzlement of "a lot of money" from one of the state's high-profile nonprofit organizations, a situation the group's president called "devastating" and "a total shock."
Officials in the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Maine's office on Bangor Street reported the theft to city police Monday.
Augusta police Lt. Chris Read confirmed the complaint Wednesday, but declined to detail the amount of money stolen or if a suspect has been named.
"Charges are pending and the incident is still under investigation," Read said.
Julie O'Brien, NAMI Maine president, said the suspect is an employee, and the theft came as a complete surprise to officials there.
"There has been an incident that happened which involved a very valued employee," O'Brien said Wednesday. She said she did not know how much money was missing.
The suspect had worked for NAMI for several years, and many other employees considered that person "like a part of the family," O'Brien said. She also declined to name the suspect.
The Augusta office has eight full-time employees, according to the NAMI Maine Web site. That number excludes O'Brien, who does not work in the Bangor Street office.
O'Brien said the small office made employees "very close."
Augusta police Detective Sgt. Jared Mills declined to estimate the amount taken, but said, "we're talking a lot of money."
"We're still in the early stages of this investigation," he said. "There's information we just can't release right now because we're still trying to figure a lot of it out."
NAMI Maine Executive Director Carol Carothers was unavailable for comment Wednesday. O'Brien said not all her fellow board members were immediately notified about the theft. An emergency meeting to discuss the situation was scheduled for today.
"This is an absolute shock," O'Brien said. "Absolute. This is a blow to the organization, but we are going to continue the mission of NAMI. We're going to move this right along."
Funded through state contracts, private donations and grants, the nonprofit organization is family- and peer-driven, offering programs to train and educate those who suffer from mental illness, their families and the general public.
Meghan V. Malloy -- 623-3811 Ext. 431
mmalloy@centralmaine.com