Thursday, November 06, 2014

Former Center Township CFO Pleads Guilty To Federal Corruption Charges


The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana announced a plea agreement with Alan Mizen, the former CFO of the Center Township Trustee's Office, on charges he stole over $343,000 from township funds supported by federal funds. Mizen will be required to make full restitution, pay a fine of up to $250,000 and could face a prison sentence of up to ten years.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Mizen created an invoice in the amount of $343,541.08 on June 10, 2010 to issue a payment to the Indiana State Treasurer. Six days later he cut a check for that same amount made payable to "Attorney's General Clearing Tr." Mizen endorsed the check and deposited into an account he opened at PNC Bank. He then transferred those funds to various personal accounts he controlled. Mizen used the money to help purchase his home in Zionsville, a Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck, his child's college expenses, personal vacations, as well as a diamond ring and diamond necklace he purchased during a trip to the Cayman Islands.

Acting U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler credited the FBI, State Board of Accounts and the IRS for their assistance in prosecuting the case. The agencies are partners in the U.S. Attorney's Public Integrity Working Group, which was launched in April 2012 with the stated purpose of aggressively investigating allegations of public fraud, waste and abuse by public officials in Indiana. The U.S. Attorney's Office encourages anyone with information on public corruption to contact the U.S. Attorney's Office at (317) 229-2443.

UPDATE: An anonymous commenter has an interesting question about Mizen's wife, who is the chief deputy in the Marion Co. Auditor's Office and, like her husband, formerly worked for the Indiana State Board of Accounts:
Did Alan Mizen’s wife, Shirley Mizen, receive the “diamond ring and diamond necklace purchased during a trip to the Cayman Islands” mentioned in Mr. Gary Welsh’s article. Shirley Mizen is a former Auditor at the State Board of Accounts and current Chief Deputy for Marion County Auditor, Bille Breaux. Did Ms. Mizen know the source of the funds used to purchase the Zionsville home and the trip to the Caymans to buy expensive jewelry? Was there a connection between the funds stolen by Alan Mizen and the Marion County Auditor office?

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

8 to 10 months maybe with home detention.

Anonymous said...

And yet FSSA, DWD, IURC are not even being investigated! Seriously we should hire monkeys to run the U.S. Attorney's Office in Indy! They would do a better job!

Anonymous said...

And still no charges against Turners and Mainstreet and the pay to players that protected them...

Anonymous said...

"Corruption is as Corruption does."

-The Democrat Machine

<a href="http://www.igic.org/forum/2008/Report_12-10-07.pdf>We must <b>eliminate</b> Township Government in Indiana.</a> As the Commission on Local Government Reform suggested. This is one of many examples of corruption in our lowest and most unnecessary and expensive layer of government, Townships.

We are a modern state with technology that connects the counties and there is no longer justification for Township Government. As this story shows another example of <b>Township Government Corruption</b>, reflect on the many other examples there have been in Indiana of corruption at this lowest and most unnecessary layer of government. Center Township may well lead the State in Corruption Convictions.

Anonymous said...

He get a state (Perf) pension ? What pathetic piece of crap. What an indictment on our state and local governments. Basic blocking and tackling with SEGREGATION of duties and this Never occurs.

Anonymous said...

Did Alan Mizen’s wife, Shirley Mizen, receive the “diamond ring and diamond necklace purchased during a trip to the Cayman Islands” mentioned in Mr. Gary Welsh’s article. Shirley Mizen is a former Auditor at the State Board of Accounts and current Chief Deputy for Marion County Auditor, Bille Breaux. Did Ms. Mizen know the source of the funds used to purchase the Zionsville home and the trip to the Caymans to buy expensive jewelry? Was there a connection between the funds stolen by Alan Mizen and the Marion County Auditor office?

Anonymous said...

I say we make them pay through the nose!
$22,000 @ $300 per month