White woman who stole $250K gets probation, while Black woman who stole $40K goes to jail. Disparate sentences spark calls for reform.

[Oldestyle]

She was forced to repay, she didn't do it out of the goodness of her heart.

Nobody can force you to turn over your retirement money, Super. She turned that money over BECAUSE she wanted a lighter sentence! The goodness of her heart had nothing to do with it. You either make restitution or you get a long sentence. Not so much in the case of the black secretary though! She gave nothing back and yet she was released with time served. You see that as "racism" which is laughable! If anything that black woman was given a sweet heart deal!

 

[Oldestyle]

I wonder how bad this issue would become if people knew that if they get caught, all they have to do is "pay the money back" and all is good?

How about with robbing a 7-11? Well, if I get caught all I have to do is give the money back.

Or should there still be consequences of jail time?

This really isn't rocket science, PK! If you robbed a 7-11...got caught...and didn't return the money you stole for whatever reason? You're not going to get a light sentence nor should you. You've hurt another party. You haven't made good on that hurt. If you DON'T get a longer sentence then there would be no incentive to make your victim whole!

 

[pknopp]

Nobody can force you to turn over your retirement money, Super.

When fired she should have lost that.

It was a pension, not a privately owned 401k. How do you steal this kind of money and still get your pension?

 

[pknopp]

This really isn't rocket science, PK! If you robbed a 7-11...got caught...and didn't return the money you stole for whatever reason? You're not going to get a light sentence nor should you. You've hurt another party. You haven't made good on that hurt. If you DON'T get a longer sentence then there would be no incentive to make your victim whole!

You can address what I said or make an entirely different argument to argue. It's clear which you will choose.

 

[Oldestyle]

When fired she should have lost that.

It was a pension, not a privately owned 401k. How do you steal this kind of money and still get your pension?

It's money that was paid into a retirement fund by that person, PK. That money belongs to her. As for her pension? If she IS still getting a pension it's a disgrace! Don't be surprised if that is the case however...if you're a public sector employee it's hard to lose your benefits. I remember when a bunch of Building Inspectors in Boston were exposed by one of the local papers for literally clocking in and then going to a social club in the North End and playing cards all day before going back to clock out. You know what their "punishment" was? Suspension with pay. Hard to believe, I know but that's the unfortunate reality we live under.

 

[Oldestyle]

When fired she should have lost that.

It was a pension, not a privately owned 401k. How do you steal this kind of money and still get your pension?

There is a difference between a pension and a retirement fund that you pay into, PK.

 

[pknopp]

It's money that was paid into a retirement fund by that person, PK.

It was a pension. A pension is not money paid into a retirement strictly by the employee. That would be a 401k or similar. Now maybe all of the articles use a poor wording of the issue but unless you can prove that, it's a pension.

You should lose your pension if fired, especially in a case like this.

Even then, Social Security is known as an "old age pension". You pay into it. Now if you rob a bank and get caught, sent to prison, do you know what happens? You don't get your S.S.

That money belongs to her. As for her pension? If she IS still getting a pension it's a disgrace! Don't be surprised if that is the case however...if you're a public sector employee it's hard to lose your benefits. I remember when a bunch of Building Inspectors in Boston were exposed by one of the local papers for literally clocking in and then going to a social club in the North End and playing cards all day before going back to clock out. You know what their "punishment" was? Suspension with pay. Hard to believe, I know but that's the unfortunate reality we live under.

Read the article. She used her "pension".

 

[pknopp]

There is a difference between a pension and a retirement fund that you pay into, PK.

Under Ohio law, the state can seize the money left in a public employee’s pension once they are convicted of theft in office.

Pension.