Portage man must pay back more than $125,000 after admitting to embezzling from apartment complex
A Portage man will have to pay back the more than $125,000 he embezzled from his former employer after pleading guilty to criminal charges Tuesday.
Mark Hartmann
Courtesy of WCSO
Mark Hartmann, 36, pleaded guilty to one charge of embezzlement between $50,000 and $100,000 in exchange for one count of embezzlement of more than $100,000 being dropped. Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Donald Shelton accepted his plea and a sentencing agreement that allows Hartmann to avoid incarceration.
Hartmann admitted to taking rent money from the Huron Towers apartment complex in Ann Arbor for personal use.
“Yes, I did,” Hartmann said when Shelton asked him if he had embezzled $125,113.85 from the apartment complex.
Hartmann was charged on April 22 with the original count of embezzling more than $100,000. The embezzlement took place between January 2009 and October 2010, according to the Ann Arbor police report.
Hartmann worked as a leasing manager and an assistant manager from August 2007 until October 2010 at the complex. He was fired after the embezzlement was discovered.
According to the police report, Hartmann would forge the complex manager’s signature on checks he made out to himself and then deposit them in his account. Hartmann was responsible for paying bills and had access to the Huron Towers’ petty cash account.
There were at least 75 unauthorized withdrawals from a bank account belonging to Huron Towers discovered by police. Many of the payments went to DTE Energy, Sam’s Club or Hartmann himself. Purchases were also made at the Pittsfield Township Lowe’s location and the Ypsilanti Township Walmart.
Hartmann is free on a 10 percent of $10,000 bond. He’s scheduled to be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. July 3.
The charge of embezzlement between $50,000 and $100,000 carries a maximum penalty of 15 years, but Hartmann will avoid prison time, per the sentencing agreement with prosecutors.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Gorc
Thu, Jun 20, 2013 : 12:26 a.m.
I wonder if Huron Towers filed a fraud and forgery case with the bank that the funds were stolen from. Does Mr. Hartman owe the restitution to Huron Towers or the bank?
nickcarraweigh
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 8:15 p.m.
That's a big bill for a young fellow to pay. He'll have to get creative.
Kitty
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 7:30 p.m.
what i do not understand is how come it took so long for them to figure out this guy was stealing and why does he need to steal if he was able to post his bond? well how come he gets to avoid jail time too, this is unfair
Hmm
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 5:48 p.m.
I just don't understand why a lot of these people convicted of embezzling large sums of money get out of going to prison, but when some thug holds up the gas station for their register they put him away for like 4 years or something. What is the difference? Stealing is stealing shouldn't they both deserve time in prison?
missmisery
Thu, Jun 20, 2013 : 11:15 a.m.
He may have a good lawyer. Most criminals can't afford one. With the amount he embezzled, he sure can.
tommy_t
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 10:06 p.m.
What It means: if you are dumb enough Not to know that you steal BIG not small then you will go to real jail.
halflight
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 6:07 p.m.
What M said. Plus, one of the highest priorities of embezzlement victims is getting the money back. If the court conditions probation upon timely restitution, the victim is better off than if the defendant goes to prison, and has no income to pay the restitution. Does that mean unequal sentences for defendants? Maybe. But equity is only one of the considerations in making sentencing choices. Other considerations may be the risk of harm the defendants poses to the public, and making the victim of the crime whole.
M
Wed, Jun 19, 2013 : 5:58 p.m.
Embezzling does not involve violence, holding up a liquor store does.