Northeast Kansas Chamber Official Faces Theft Charge

A former board member for a northeast Kansas chamber of commerce has been charged with embezzling from the organization.

The St. Joseph News-Press reports that felony theft, criminal use of a financial card and identity fraud charges were filed Friday in Brown County against 42-year-old Beth Mikita. She was the Hiawatha Chamber of Commerce’s treasurer from February 2013 to May 2015. It wasn’t immediately known if she had an attorney.

She was arrested Thursday night following a review of business records and ATM surveillance.

Chamber Administrator Eric Thompson said in a statement that the discrepancies came to light in June after a certified public accountant was appointed to the board’s treasurer post. Transactions from August 2014 to April 2015 have been questioned.

Officials say $1,000 to $10,000 was involved.