Tuesday, March 22, 2005
 
Not Quite The Victim

Agency says school chief bought less than $2,000 in gambling credits: Official embezzled $844,477, said he had gambling problem:
    Gambling records at Missouri's 11 riverboat casinos indicate that a former northwest Missouri school superintendent who stole more than $844,000 from his school district bought less than $2,000 in slot machine credits or table game chips since 2001.

    Ronnie Gene DeShon, former superintendent of the Pattonsburg School District, admitted in federal court earlier this month that he embezzled $844,477 over four years. He said he used to money to feed his gambling addiction.

    But Troy Stremming, president of the Missouri Riverboat Gaming Association, said if DeShon lost hundreds of thousands of dollars gambling, it wasn't at Missouri's riverboat casinos. Gambling records at the riverboat casinos indicate that DeShon bought less than $2,000 in slot machine credits or table game chips since 2001.
I would say the embezzler played the victim card, but he wasn't playing cards at all. Instead, he pushed an obvious sympathy button to lessen his punishment.

Like this guy, I took money from my employer's account last year and deposited it in my personal account, although I understand this is less of an issue when you're self-employed. In case it's not, I want to document my addictions and disorders that led me to this sad low:
  • Sex.

  • Coffee.

  • Beer.

  • Sprecher's Root Beer.

  • Yellow Tail Shiraz/Cabernet.

  • Gambolling.

  • Napping.

  • Reading.
Does that press your sympathy button, or your envy button?


 
To say Noggle, one first must be able to say the "Nah."