The University of Missouri is investigating another potential case of employee embezzlement.

The university said Tuesday in a news release that the MU Police Department was investigating “suspected misappropriation of funds from student organization accounts affiliated with Greek Life.” The money was held outside of normal university accounts, the university said.

The news release indicated a single former employee was responsible.

“The university is cooperating fully with the MU Police Department as they begin their investigation to determine whether a crime occurred,” the statement said.

The amount of money involved is unknown at this time, MU spokeswoman Liz McCune said. No one has been arrested, she said.

The university has been stung several times by major embezzlement scandals.

In June 2016, Carla Rathmann pleaded guilty in federal court in Springfield to submitting false invoices and making improper purchases over 15 years while working as an office assistant at the Southwest Research Center in Mount Vernon. She was sentenced to four years in federal prison and ordered to pay $781,670 in restitution.

In 1994, Christy Tutin confessed to stealing almost $700,000 from the university by submitting false travel vouchers.

The university also announced Tuesday that it would implement new protocols requiring two approvals for spending money held on behalf of student groups. A directive from interim Chancellor and Provost Garnett Stokes and Chancellor-designate Alexander Cartwright orders employees with authority to sign checks on student organization accounts to have all spending approved by their supervisor and the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.

The university isn’t releasing any information about the particular student accounts involved or whether the former employee responsible was laid off as part of budget cuts, retirement or because the potential theft was discovered.

“If police determine misappropriation of funds by a former staff member occurred, the university will encourage prosecution of these crimes to the fullest extent possible and will work with affected groups to address the situation appropriately,” the news release said.

rkeller@columbiatribune.com

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