NEW IBERIA, La. (KLFY) – Sentencing is scheduled today for former Iberia Parish Clerk of Court Michael Thibodeaux.
He was convicted on 14 felony counts of fraud.
16th Judicial District Attorney Bo Duhe’ says the convictions stem from a legislative audit and Louisiana State Police investigation into his position at the Parish Clerk of Court’s office.
That investigation revealed multiple instances of fraudulent and deceitful conduct, including one instance where Thibodeaux transferred fees into his office’s salary fund that should have been returned to litigants.
Thibodeaux was also convicted of hiding the transfers by creating false entries in his accounting system and creating duplicate checks payable to his office.
A box of cash containing public monies was also concealed in the closet of his office.
Officials say Thibodeaux also used “reward points” from a public credit card to pay for a personal vacation.
By the close of the investigation, over $5,000 of public funds were unaccounted for.
In June 2018, Thibodeaux was indicter on one count of racketeering; two counts of theft over $25,000; one count of theft over $5,000 but less than $25,000; seven counts of malfeasance in office; two counts of filing or maintaining false public records, and one count of perjury.
He faces up to 20 years of hard labor for his convictions.
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