Charges filed against former SBJ office manager

The Greene County prosecutor's office on Feb. 13 filed three charges against Jennie Tritch, former office manager of Springfield Business Journal, alleging she engaged in theft and forgery.

Tritch is charged with one count of theft and two counts of forgery, according to documents filed in Greene County Circuit Court. Judge Jason Brown has issued an arrest warrant and has set bond at $15,000.

According to a felony probable cause statement from the Springfield Police Department, Tritch allegedly stole roughly $96,000 from SBJ for a period starting Aug. 29, 2009, and ending Jan. 3, 2012, when she was fired from the company after working there for approximately six years.

The police officer assigned to the case, Annesha Umbarger, said in the probable cause statement that SBJ Publisher Jennifer Jackson provided documentation showing Tritch allegedly adjusted her cafeteria plan and medical insurance withholdings, created fictitious bonus checks with forged signatures, produced additional payroll checks and made unauthorized charges to SBJ's Staples account.

Upon her termination, Tritch signed a voluntary, notarized statement admitting she stole approximately $80,000. As of Nov. 27, when the probable cause statement was signed, Tritch had provided restitution to the tune of $5,827.

Umbarger obtained subpoenas for Tritch and her husband Michael's bank accounts at U.S. Bank, Great Southern Bank, Higher One and Academy Bank, confirming the claimed misappropriated funds from SBJ were deposited in them.

According to the probable cause statement, Umbarger attempted to schedule an interview with Tritch on Nov. 12. On that date, Tritch called Umbarger to request a rescheduled date for when her attorney could be present, and the police officer was unable to contact her again afterward.