Ex-federal worker sentenced for embezzlement

Source: AP

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A former federal accountant who admitted embezzling nearly $600,000 from the government has been sentenced to three years and one month in prison.

Michael Harrington was also ordered to pay restitution under the sentence imposed Thursday by U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple.

The 44-year-old Lee's Summit resident had pleaded guilty in February to one count each of embezzlement and money laundering.

Harrington was a supervisory accountant at the General Services Administration office in Kansas City. He admitted stealing $593,549 from the government between May 2006 and May 2008 by creating fraudulent refund vouchers payable to a phony business he set up.

Harrington said he used the money to gamble and to pay off gambling-related debts and loans.

Read more: http://www.newstribune.com/articles/2009/08/14/news_state/139state36embezzle09.txt

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General Services Admin was the office run by Lurita Doan during the Bush years. The same office which was used mainly to "help our candidates" win elections.