FORMER STATE TREASURY EMPLOYEE GUILTY OF THEFT

Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today that Wendi Lynn Davis, age 43, of the 700 block of Match Point Drive, Arnold, pled guilty to stealing over $52,000 from the State Insurance Trust Fund. The theft scheme lasted almost three years, while Wendi Davis was employed as a Treasury Specialist in the Maryland Treasurer’s Office, in Annapolis. The Honorable Joseph P. Manck scheduled sentencing for November 2, 2006.

By her guilty plea, Wendi Davis admitted that she worked in the Treasurer’s Office, first as a Treasury Specialist and eventually as the Administration Division Accounting Manager. Davis was responsible for processing and approving claims for payment from the State Insurance Trust Fund, which pays legitimate claims for injury and property loss caused by State employees. Davis misused her position to cause nine unauthorized checks to be issued from the State Insurance Trust Fund, totaling $51,595.00. Those checks were made payable to "Sean Davis," her husband. The checks were endorsed and deposited into their joint bank account. Mrs. Davis obscured her theft scheme by preparing fake documents to support the payments.

Davis was caught after she caused a 10th unauthorized check to be issued. On or about December 15, 2003, she approved a check to Verizon Wireless for $829, the amount overdue on her personal mobile phone account. Verizon Wireless called the Treasurer’s Office and questioned the claim payment and an investigation began.

This case was prosecuted by the Office of the Attorney General, Criminal Investigations Division with the assistance of the Maryland State Treasurer’s Office. This investigation is ongoing.