A 54-year-old Des Allemands woman was arrested after investigators say she stole $147,000 from the Luling/Boutte Lions Club while working as the organization’s secretary.
Frances N. Boudreaux, of 201 Matherne Drive, was arrested on March 28 and booked with theft of goods over $1,500.
The Louisiana Department of Revenue’s Office of Charitable Gaming initiated an investigation after a routine analysis showed a discrepancy with the profit margin during bingo games to benefit the Lions Club, according to Melissa Matey, a spokeswoman for the State Police.
“When they analyzed data from 2010, they discovered that $44,000 was missing from the reported profit margin,” Matey said. “During the investigation, they found that (Boudreaux) was the only person with access to such a large volume of payouts.”
Boudreaux routinely served as a cashier during the club’s charitable bingo games.
Investigators also discovered irregularities with Boudreaux’s cashier paperwork and found that she was the only cashier that reported unusually high payouts, Matey said.
“The investigators went back to July 1, 2007 and found that approximately $147,000 was taken from 2007 until 2010,” Matey said.
Lions Club member John Landry, who is the charter president, said that Boudreaux had been a member of the club for years and that her arrest was shocking.
“We just couldn’t believe that someone we trusted was capable of doing something like this,” he said. “Several members cried in disbelief, but the facts are there.”
Landry said that the worst part about the situation is that the club could have used that money to make a difference in the community.
“We use money to help the eye foundation and people who need to improve their vision while also using money to pay for research and the Louisiana Lions Camp in Leesville,” he said. “We have also helped local residents by paying for them to receive prosthesis.
“The money could have been put to a lot of good use.”
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