October 15, 2008

Home
Playbill Club
Join Newsletter
Member Services
Features
Classical Music
Opera
Dance
Jazz/Blues
New Recordings
Spotlight
All
News
Archive
Classical Music
Opera
Dance
Jazz/Blues
All
Playbill Store
Storefront
Casting & Jobs
Job Listings
Post a Job
Interactive
Polls
Quizzes

RSS News Feed

News: Opera
Related Information
Email this Article Email this Article
Printer-friendly Printer-friendly
Opera Carolina Accuses Ex-Staffer of Theft

By Vivien Schweitzer
18 Jan 2006

A former finance director at Opera Carolina has been accused of stealing nearly $50,000 from the company, the Charlotte Observer reports.

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg police report filed January 17 didn’t name the staffer it accused of misappropriating $48,000, but officials have confirmed that she is Mary Lopes, who resigned as finance chief last autumn.

According to the report, Lopes is accused of shopping with an Opera Carolina credit card and using $25,000 from the opera's Bank of America account to buy a Toyota automobile.

Suspicions were aroused when Lopes’s replacement noticed that the financial records were "in disarray." The last audit covered finances through June 2004, suggesting the suspected theft took place after that time. The company expects the missing money to be reimbursed by insurance, and said that the theft had not affected its operations.

The case is being investigated by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police. As of Tuesday night, reports the Observer, Lopes had not been charged.




Keyword:

Features/Location:

Writer:

 


advanced search

SIGN UP for the PlaybillArts Newsletter and enjoy special opportunities and discount ticket offers for classical music, opera, dance, and jazz events.


Click here to see all of the latest polls !


Email this page to a friend!