Deal could keep embezzler from jail
Published Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Ruth Ann Ramsay embezzled nearly $125,000 from her Perham employer.
But the 51-year-old Perham woman might never see a day in jail after a plea hearing Monday in Otter Tail County District Court.
Ramsay, who pleaded guilty earlier this year to embezzling the money over a 10-year period between 1997 and Sept. 2007, served as the bookeeper for Perham Eye Clinic and its Long Prairie, Pelican Rapids and Wadena branches.
At the time of her arrest she was originally charged with three felony counts — theft exceeding $35,000; theft by swindle; and financial transaction card fraud.
But under a plea agreement with the Otter Tail County District Attorney’s Office, Ramsay could escape jail time if she repays the money before her Nov. 17, 2008 sentencing. Under the agreement, Ramsay would pay an additional $20,000 over the five years she would be on probation.
According to court records, Ramsay allegedly endorsed client checks and kept the money.
She also stole cash from company checks and created fraudulent credit entries into the general journal and accounting system for goods and services provided to friends and family.
Ramsay was also accused of swiping her personal credit card through the clinic's credit card reader, assigning cash credits to her account, court records state.
During a clinic board of directors meeting on Sept. 18, 2007, there was discussion concerning Ramsay and clinic finances. Ramsay handled the company’s financial transactions and normally attended board meetings. She was present at the meeting and was asked about some of the financial transactions. She denied knowledge of any wrongdoing.
In arriving at a plea agreement, Assistant Otter Tail County Attorney Michelle Eldien said her office has a guarantee that the money owed the clinic will be available.
Eldien said officials from the eye clinic let prosecutors know they were more interested in recouping financial losses than in seeing Ramsay serve time in jail.
“We worked strong to get the business back to status quo,” Eldien said.