LIMA — A man who stole nearly $200,000 from a Bluffton company where he handled the finances was given diversion this week after he pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated theft.
Kurt D. Emans, 55, of 84 Riley Creek Court, Bluffton, will have a chance at preventing three felonies from being filed on his record through a diversion program that requires he pay $157,473 restitution to Patriot Concrete of Bluffton, said Ken Sturgill, an assistant Allen County prosecutor.
The owner of Patriot, Phillip Shank, can file a lawsuit for any remaining money owed, Sturgill said.
The crimes took place between May 20, 2014, and Aug. 31, 2015. Emans stole $197,660 during that time while he handled the accounting for the company, Sturgill said.
“He used deception to put memos on checks to say they were going to company expenses, but they were going to pay off his personal expenses. He was creating false entries in QuickBooks. He was spending whatever he wanted to on his personal life and his credit cards,” Sturgill said.
Emans was allowed into the diversion program, which requires a guilty plea to the charges but the conviction is placed on hold. If he successfully completes five years of diversion, which has various terms including paying restitution, the conviction will not be entered, Sturgill said.
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