Retired city clerk indicted on stealing $36,500 from city

A retired city clerk from the south-central Kansas town of Caney was indicted Thursday on charges of stealing more than $36,500 from the city, U.S. Attorney for Kansas Stephen McAllister said in a news release.

Carole Sue Coker, 69, of Oronogo, Mo., was charged with one count of mail fraud and one count of bank fraud. According to the news release, the indictment alleges that Coker, who served as city clerk for about 40 years, employed a so-called “check for cash” embezzlement scheme to conceal the crimes.

McAllister said the indictment alleges Coker embezzled a portion of cash payments made to the city and covered up the crime by recording only a portion of some checks made out to the city. In this way, prosecutors allege, Coker made the city’s books appear to balance.