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TThe city of West Linn has found themselves in
financial trouble because of one woman’s slot machines addiction. Elma
Magkamit took advantage of her position as the Director of Finance for the
city—she basically embezzled the city’s funds and used them toward the slot
machines. The city already has limited funds—and now because of Elma’s
actions their bond rating is too low for them to qualify for a bond.
And from her lifestyle it seems that the slot machines were often kind to
her. Elma’s lifestyle was not sparse by any means; she sported Ralph Lauren
clothing, expensive jewelry, a 100,000 retirement fund, spacious house and a
Mercedes SUV. Many doubt that her addiction was in fact a real slot machine
addiction because she was able to keep her house car and other luxuries.
But Elma’s communications through her attorney indicate that she had a
severe addiction to the slot machines. She claims that almost all of the
$1.4 million she stole from the city was in fact spent on slot machines,
specifically slots at the Spirit Mountain Casino. And now that she has been
caught, she is apologetic to the city and to her family. Her statement, "I
want to apologize to the finest staff that trusted me. To my mother-in-law
and sisters-in-law, please forgive me for bringing terrible shame to what
was once a respected family name."
The city will get portions of the money back trough the sale of her vehicle,
house and from her retirement fund—but more importantly to them is the trust
the put in her that they cannot get back. Judge Steven Maurer remarked, “we
had a community that placed very limited resources in the hands of the
defendant with the idea that she very carefully, with scrupulous integrity,
manage [sic] those funds. That trust was violated over and over and over
again. The impact of that can hardly be exaggerated."
Elma will be serving eight years for her crimes, and all of this for many is
just one more testament to the ills of slot machines.
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