Novi Woman Charged With Embezzling Public Transportation Funds
LAKE ORION (WWJ) - A 35-year-old Novi woman is facing a felony charge after she allegedly stole thousands of dollars from a public transit service for seniors and the disabled.
According to police, Andrea Nicole Vrsek — who worked for the North Oakland Transportation Authority (NOTA) for 10 years — used a gas card not assigned to any vehicle 313 times over a six-month period in 2014 for a total of $8,677 in fraudulent charges.
In investigating the case, police were able to locate a surveillance video of an Vrsek making an unauthorized purchase at the Speedway on S. Lapeer Rd in Orion Township on Jan. 23, 2017.
When she was questioned, Vrsek allegedly confessed, telling officers, "You did your job well."
She was arraigned in 52/3 District Court Thursday on one count of embezzlement by an agent or trustee punishable by up to five years in prison and $10,000 fine.
Vrsek was released on a $20,000 personal bond, and is scheduled to appear on May 8 for a probable cause conference in 52/3 District Court.
NOTA is a door-to-door on-demand transportation servic serving seniors age 60 and over, disabled and low-income residents primarily in Orion, Oxford and Addison Townships as well as the Villages of Lake Orion, Oxford and Leonard.
The program is funded by a millage collected in the communities they serve as well as local government contributions and state and federal grants.
