ITHACA, N.Y. — A woman is being accused of stealing more than $360,000 worth of equipment from Cornell University over the course of several years, court documents show.
Colleen Clausen, 59, is charged with second-degree grand larceny and has been arraigned in the case.
Court records show that from about July 21, 2011 to Aug. 7 2015, Clausen stole camera equipment from Cornell.
As part of her job at the Industrial and Labor Relations school, she was tasked with making equipment orders on behalf of faculty members requesting purchases. During the specified time frame, Clausen is accused of making “fraudulent and unauthorized transactions,” buying more than 100 cameras and eight lenses, which she had shipped straight to the school. She is then accused of shipping the equipment to third parties, primarily in California, who sold the items at a reduced price, giving her a cut of the profit.
The items are reported to be worth $367,360.48.
On Jan, 15, 2016, a Cornell police officer interviewed Calusen at the university about the financial irregularities, and she allegedly could not explain them to the officer.
Clausen, who is a Nevada resident, was arraigned on Sept. 30.
She’s being represented by attorney Joseph Joch, and Acting District Attorney Andrew Bonavia is prosecuting the case.