Former payroll manager of the esteemed Art Institute of Chicago, Michael Maurello, was sentenced to a three-year imprisonment for embezzling over $2 million from the museum's funds over a 12-year period. Maurello, 56, of Beach Park, pleaded guilty and expressed remorse during the trial for taking advantage of an employer who treated him well as per Chicago Tribune.
U.S. District Judge Manish Shah presided over the case and noted that to quickly embezzle such a significant amount required skill and effort. Judge Shah sentenced Maurello to three years of supervised release following prison and a restitution of approximately $2.3 million to the Art Institute as stated in Chicago Tribune.
This is not the first instance of an employee from a well-known cultural institution in Chicago being accused of stealing substantial amounts. Caryn Benson, a former data specialist, was sentenced to three years in federal prison for embezzling almost $1 million from the Field Museum in 2017 according to Chicago Tribune.
Maurello's embezzlement involved creating false payments to employees and diverting the museum's payroll into his personal bank accounts from 2007 to 2020. His detailed documentation of these operations enabled the reversals in the museum's payroll system. Despite the recommended minimum sentence for his crime exceeding four years, Maurello's attorney argued for a shorter term, citing his client's health issues, such as a below-knee amputation of his right leg reported by Lake and McHenry County Scanner.
Besides theft and insurance issues, Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Rubenstein argued that Maurello harmed the Art Institute in a more profound way by undermining its reputation and public trust. The Art Institute relies heavily on goodwill and trust for its financial survival, primarily through donations as per Chicago Tribune.
