Kansas City, MO – infoZine – A former Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to a fraud scheme in which he stole more than $100,000 from two local charities.
Sean Patrick Taylor, also known as J.R. Wayne Gourley, 52, formerly of Kansas City, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dean Whipple to the charge contained in an Aug. 10, 2011, federal indictment.
http://liarcatchers.com/fraud_investigation.html
Taylor served as executive director for two Kansas City non‑profit organizations. By pleading guilty today, Taylor admitted that he embezzled a total of at least $100,000 from the Epilepsy Foundation of Kansas and Western Missouri and Westport Cooperative Services from April 2, 2007, to May 7, 2010. The government believes that the loss amount is $133,161.
During the scheme, Taylor lost more than $72,000 playing the slot machines at the Prairie Band Casino. As a result, Taylor received more than $5,200 in complementary benefits from the casino, including travel and lodging.
Taylor was hired in 2007 to manage the day-to-day operations of the Epilepsy Foundation, located at 6700 Troost, Kansas City. The Epilepsy Foundation provides medical assistance, other aid and programs for afflicted persons, and it raises public awareness of the many challenges posed by epilepsy. Taylor=s employment was terminated at the Epilepsy Foundation in April 2009, when he was confronted about his embezzlement and resigned under pressure.
About a month later, Taylor was hired to manage the day-to-day operations of Westport Cooperative Services (WCS), located at 201 Westport Road, Kansas City. WCS terminated Taylor=s employment in May 2010.
As a direct result of Taylor’s theft, WCS was forced to end its Meals on Wheels program, which had provided meals to 40 individuals, mostly senior citizens, five days per week. Because of Taylor=s fraud, WCS also lost its bid to become a permanent sponsor of a foster grandparents program, which would have been funded by a $1.3 million, three-year grant. The foster grandparents program, during the time it was operated by WCS, paired roughly 80 low-income senior citizens with children in preschool through junior high. WCS also operated a back-to-school program that provided uniforms, school supplies, and shoe vouchers to 400-500 low income children.
