MATC employee facing two theft charges for credit card abuse

MILWAUKEE -- A 44-year-old former MATC employee has been charged with two counts of theft (value exceeding $10,000) after an audit found misuse of MATC-issued credit cards. Kristin Seimits is accused of using her MATC credit card, and the card of another MATC employee for her own benefit while serving as MATC's purchasing manager.

The criminal complaint in this case says during the audit, it was discovered that Seimits had used her MATC-issued credit card to make several purchases that did not appear to be for MATC purposes. The complaint says the audit uncovered $104,000 in personal purchases made by Seimits using the credit card assigned to her, along with the credit card assigned to another MATC employee from 2005 through 2009. The complaint states from January 1, 2010 through August 2011, Seimits made purchases exceeding $154,000.

The complaint says Seimits purchases furniture, televisions and kitchen appliances, and receipts showed deliveries made to Seimits' home address. The complaint says Seimits also purchased a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer in April of 2011 which she titled in her name. The audit uncovered Seimits also paid for travel for herself and her family not connected to MATC business, and that when she was traveling on MATC business she used her MATC-issued credit card to pay for massage services, spa services and alcoholic beverages.

The complaint goes on to say Seimits used her MATC credit card to pay for expenses connected to a suburban fire department at which she volunteered. Seimits allegedly used her card to pay for equipment for the fire department, and then submitted the reciept to the fire department for reimbursement, and then kept the money for herself.

The complaint says Seimits also spent thousands on computer software and equipment, including several Apple computers and products like iMacs, iPads and iPods. Receipts show the purchases were made through Apple directly and through electronics merchants in Milwaukee.

The complaint says Seimits attempted to hide her personal purchases by making those purchases at vendors that were used by MATC departments, and then allocate the purchase to that department.

When interviewed by investigators, Seimits acknowledged she had used her MATC credit card to make purchases for personal purposes, but denied using the card belonging to another MATC employee to make non-MATC purchases, and denied using the MATC card to buy non-Apple computer products.

The criminal complaint says investigators produced a receipt from December of 2008 showing a 15-inch MacBook Pro laptop had been purchased for $2,532.29 using the MATC employee's card, and delivered to the loading dock at MATC, where Seimits signed for it. The complaint says that laptop was sold by Seimits and her husband to a non-MATC buyer for $1,000.

The complaint says Seimits took her family on a trip to Clearwater, Florida in April of 2011, and spent over $4,000 using the card, and charged nearly $4,000 at the Treasure Island Hotel in Las Vegas where she was married in September of 2010.

MATC issued a statement Monday: "The employee was immediately put on unpaid, administrative leave, and resigned on September 16th, 2011. Upon confirming the transactions, it became clear that the matter raised serious legal concerns. Records related to this matter were presented to the Milwaukee County District Attorney's office for review in October 2011. We have fully cooperated with the District Attorney. We have made a claim with our insurance company on this matter, and continue to work closely with company representatives. Further, as part of the legal resolution, we will seek restitution for anything not covered by our insurance policy."