A Joplin banker charged with embezzling $70,000 from the Miracle League and blowing it at area casinos is scheduled to be arraigned June 4 in Ottawa County District Court. The arraignment was originally scheduled for April 30.
Aaron Allen Smith, 48, a former vice president and loan officer at Mid-Missouri Bank, served as treasurer for Miracle League.
According to the probable cause statement, the alleged embezzlement was uncovered by Miracle League board member Shawn Daniel who found unauthorized transactions had been made on Smith's debit card and contacted the Joplin Police Department.
From the probable cause statement:
Board member Shawn Daniel reported the current estimated loss of nearly $70,000. Of that amount $59,316 occurred at Downstream Casino Resort (DCR), located at 69300 East Nee Road in rural Quapaw, Ottawa County, Oklahoma.
The transactions occurred between August of 2024 and December of 2024. Additional unauthorized transactions were conducted at Indigo Sky Casino in rural Wyandotte, Oklahoma, the Hardrock Casino in Catoosa, Oklahoma, and at ATMs in Joplin, Missouri, all of which are being investigated in their respective jurisdictions.
Shawn Daniel said the debit card was issued to Aaron Smith by the Miracle League of Joplin Board and stated the account is with US Bank in Joplin, Missouri. The fund in the account are specific to the Miracle League of Joplin expenses and are subject to the board's approval.
The transactions occurred between August of 2024 and December of 2024. Additional unauthorized transactions were conducted at Indigo Sky Casino in rural Wyandotte, Oklahoma, the Hardrock Casino in Catoosa, Oklahoma, and at ATMs in Joplin, Missouri, all of which are being investigated in their respective jurisdictions.
Shawn Daniel said the debit card was issued to Aaron Smith by the Miracle League of Joplin Board and stated the account is with US Bank in Joplin, Missouri. The fund in the account are specific to the Miracle League of Joplin expenses and are subject to the board's approval.
Shawn Daniel provided me with bank statements from US Bank dated January 2024-November 2024 for {the account} which is linked to the debit card.
On December 18, 2024, Aaron Smith made a $50,000 deposit into the Miracle League of Joplin account from his personal banking account with Commerce Bank in Joplin. On December 19, 2024, the deposit was returned and the funds were removed from the Miracle League of Joplin's account.
4 comments:
So he tried to give some of it back and it was denied?
All these people who steal from cities and charities all have gambling problems it seems.
I wonder if that’s where the stolen Carthage money ended up too!?
Yes, all of these individuals who have stolen from all these local Non-Profits - where just given slaps on the wrist, probation, and required to pay back the money - Not One has done any time - Because we are soft on crime and criminals locally.
Plus, since a good majority of this money has been spent at the local casinos should they be allowed to prosper off of stolen money - or should they be required to return it - Aaron Allen Smith - will probably never see any prison time - just like the others - Non-Profits - you need to start keeping better track off your Deposits and Withdrawals - you need Monthly Bank Statements / Receipts and more than just one-person who has all the power on the banking side - plus do not allow - husband / wife / relative combinations to control the Money or the Non-Profit - to much temptation for them to use the Bank Account as their Personal Piggy Bank!
That’s called a six head not a forehead
Easy checks and balances, but nobody ever goes through with it, should require 2 signatures up to x amount of dollars, above x amount of dollars there should be firms that require x amount of signatures before approval. So simple to fix
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