Embezzler admits guilt

The Daily Inter Lake

The former treasurer of the Meadow Lake Homeowners Association on Thursday admitted he stole more than $100,000 over five years.

Theodore Hodges, 65, also admitted he forged a check from a life-insurance company to his wife, Roberta.

For the felony charges of theft (common scheme) and forgery, County Attorney Ed Corrigan will recommend a sentence of 20 years in prison with 10 suspended.

With credit for time Hodges has already served in jail, he could be eligible for parole in a year and a half, Corrigan said.

Hodges told District Judge Kitty Curtis that he embezzled the money from Meadow Lake homeowners from November 1998 until May 2003.

Court documents say he wrote 85 checks to himself, to cash or to Glacier Bank. He reportedly told the group he was investing the money in certificates of deposit.

He also forged his wife's name on an $8,300 check she received from an insurance company in February 2003. Hodges used the money to pay a credit card he held in his son's name, he said.

"You ran up tremendous bills on a lot of credit cards," Corrigan said.

Hodges agreed. He admitted he forged applications for credit cards in other people's names and had 33 charge accounts when he was arrested.

In answer to Corrigan's questions, Hodges said he didn't use the money to gamble or drink, or on women or drugs.

He didn't say where the money went.

"I'm flat broke," he testified.

Curtis will sentence him on Dec. 30.