Crime hard to spot, even for the press

Newspapers are supposed to be the watchdogs of their respective communities, but sometimes it's difficult for them to spot criminal activity within their own ranks.

The Tampa Tribune can relate, having pursued prosecution of a former employee and his wife over the theft of at least $1 million over an entire decade. Charles T. Wilson, the Trib's former credit manager, was sentenced late last month to four years in federal prison, while Lynda Wilson received a slightly shorter term.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Tampa, Charles Wilson embezzled money from the Trib between 1998 and 2008 by routing funds to CCL Services, a phony collections agency run by Lynda Wilson. In addition to mail fraud, the couple was charged with making false statements regarding their sources of income in applying for a mortgage, hiding the fact that a significant portion was stolen from the Trib.

Both pleaded guilty to the charges last June. Charles Wilson, 60, has been ordered to pay nearly $1.5 million, while Lynda Wilson, 50, must pay $417,000.

Trib Publisher Denise Palmer told U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington that the paper now has a “foolproof” vendor system designed to prevent future theft by employees. She also sought to have Charles Wilson put away for 10 years — one for every $100,000 he stole.