Ex-treasurer pleads, begins restitution

ALLEGAN, Mich. (WOOD) - Stephanie Bogdan, the now-former Watson Township treasurer, pleaded guilty to attempted embezzlement by a public official.

The guilty plea is part of a deal in which she avoids a possible 10-year prison sentence in favor of a five-year felony.

Bogdan, 43, was charged in Allegan County in December after an investigation uncovered about $51,000 had been missing since February 2011.

Allegan County Detective Len Mathis said Bogdan had a player's card at the Gun Lake Casino, where the card's net loss was about $49,000.

In the 250 days the casino had been open at the time of the investigation, Det. Mathis continued, Bogdan had been in the casino 162 days.

But as part of her restitution, Bogdan presented a check in court for $50,000 - the amount police investigators figure she took from the township in 2011.

But since then, a forensic audit found the actual sum is substantially higher, the township supervisor said, and the embezzlement goes back to 2006.

But nobody is saying at this time how much the embezzlement was. That issue will be debated at her restitution hearing on August 9.

In court Monday, Bogdan admitted to writing only one extra payroll check for about $800 to herself last summer.

The prosecuting attorney said sentencing guidelines would make her jail time likely six months, but the judge could decide to give her more or less.

Township officials said Monday the embezzlement has not impacted services to its citizens.