Former Miami judge charged in embezzlement scheme

[Judi Lynn]

Published Wednesday, October 5, 2005

Former Miami judge charged in embezzlement scheme

By CURT ANDERSON
Associated Press Writer
MIAMI
A former judge once swept up in a federal bribery scandal was arrested Wednesday in an alleged scheme to use a charity that assists troubled youths to embezzle thousands of dollars in government grants.

Former Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Phillip S. Davis, 51, and 50-year-old Joan Marie Headley were charged with defrauding county of more than $63,700 and the state of over $19,000, according to Miami-Dade County Inspector General Christopher Mazzella.

Davis, who was disbarred after the federal bribery investigation, is director of an organization called Miami-Dade Resident College and Headley is its administrative assistant. The organization in 2002 received more than $391,000 in state and county grants to provide social services to disadvantaged young people and youths involved in criminal pretrial diversion programs, including vocational training and counseling.

Investigators say that Davis and Headley created a shell corporation to provide phony invoices for employees, enabling them to obtain thousands of dollars in grant money and then pay employees far less in salary. The false invoices also allegedly overstated the work that was done by employees.
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http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051005/APN/510050856