A former U employee is charged with stealing more than $123,000 in cash and goods from the U’s theater department during the past three years.
Jara Jane Wimmer, a 32-year-old former accountant for the department, was charged Oct. 16 in the 3rd District Court with money laundering, theft and communications fraud. All charges are second-degree felonies. She was also charged with forgery, a third-degree felony charge.
She is charged with using a Diner’s Club credit card and another purchasing card, which was issued to her in 2006, to make personal purchases at the department’s expense. The charges say she created false credit card statements and turned them in as reimbursements.
Wimmer drew attention to herself a few months ago. On April 15, police were called to her hotel because of a disturbance complaint. West Wendover police officers found her in her room bleeding from self-inflicted wounds. The body of Jason Mark Koerbler, Wimmer’s husband, was also in the room. His death was ruled a suicide.
She received immediate medical attention locally and returned to Salt Lake City for further treatment.
On that same day, the U Police Department started an investigation of the U theater department for a suspicious financial transaction. U Police received a phone call from someone in the department stating someone had stolen from the department.
At the time, U administration and U Police would not say if there was any connection between the two incidents.
Wimmer’s first court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 16.