First of a Series – Jim Leach, Golden Media Group’s multi-media consultant & retired law enforcement officer, discusses various ways to guard against crime.
Two people have been recently indicted for biting the hand that fed them, Southern Lease Management Group in Halls, Tennessee.
The charges allege that Maggie Cherry Tate, a former employee, made fraudulent payments to herself and her husband, Justice Alexander Tate.
The indictment states that the fraudulent payments commenced in April 2019 and continued until January 2025. That’s six years. The amount that was stolen, let’s call it what is, is said to be more than $250,000.
How can a business owner guard against employee theft?
First of all, perform a background check before you put them to work. Please don’t say, “I’ve known them forever”. When unexpected things happen, that statement is right behind my other favorite, “I never thought she would do that”. Of course, you didn’t, if you’d thought that, you wouldn’t let her close to the money!
Be on the lookout for unexplained affluence. If someone is trading cars every 6 months and getting a nicer one each time, the money is coming from somewhere. Also, there is more in Tunica than good food.
Implement checks and balances within the system and incorporate them into a written work plan. Someone must be responsible for enforcing this policy, or it will not be effective.
(PHOTO: Jim Leach)
