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Former Moon River controller pleads guilty to embezzlement

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Last edited 12:54 p.m., Aug. 27, 2014

A Branson woman pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to filing a false tax return in connection to the embezzlement of some $678,000 from Andy Williams' Moon River Theatre in Branson.

Dawn Cleveringa, 59, who served as controller of the theater 1992-2009, waived her right to a grand jury in her guilty plea on charges of filing a false federal income tax return. By pleading guilty, Cleveringa admitted she manipulated the theater's accounting systems to make unauthorized payments to herself, according to a news release from the office of Tammy Dickinson, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Missouri.

As controller, Cleveringa was tasked with conducting or supervising financial transactions at the theater, including employee payroll and issuing IRS tax forms to workers. In 2007 and 2008, she illegally withdrew funding from the theater for herself and paid off personal expenses, according to the case notes.

While the federal charge addresses only a portion of funds for which Cleveringa did not pay federal income taxes, yesterday's guilty plea follows a state prosecution for the $678,000 embezzlement scheme, according to the release.

In total, Cleveringa failed to report approximately $262,656 in income on her federal return, comprising $160,642 embezzled in 2007 and $102,013 stolen in 2008, according to Dickinson's office.

Williams died in September 2012 at the age of 84 following a battle with bladder cancer. Jimmy Osmond took over operation of the facility and plans new acts this year, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.

In the federal case, Cleveringa could face up to three years in prison with a fine of up to $250,000 and order of restitution, according to the release.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Mohlhenrich and was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.[[In-content Ad]]

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