Feds: Ex-leader of Giving Tree to plead guilty

[Christa]

The former director of a Mecklenburg County Christmas charity embezzled taxpayer money, including some $30,000 she used to pay off personal credit card debt, federal prosecutors alleged in court documents Tuesday.

Cindy E. Brady has agreed to plead guilty to three counts of embezzlement, according to a plea agreement.

Brady, 50, is charged with stealing government money from 2007 to 2009 when she oversaw a Department of Social Services' program that bought Christmas gifts for needy children.

Brady, who left county government in August, had denied any wrongdoing. She could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Neither could her lawyer, Patrick Matus.

Brady received thousands of dollars in advances from DSS to purchase gifts for children whose families signed up for the county's now-defunct Giving Tree program.

Read more: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/05/19/1444308/plea-deal-in-the-works-for-embezzlement.html#ixzz0oNZ2WTrR

[Turbineguy]

1. Stealing from the poor box.

If she was smart she would have stolen from the middle class, ensuring a brilliant future on Wallstreet.