Former UM Housing Employee Admits Stealing $300,000

A former University of Montana housing employee accused of embezzling more than $300,000 has pleaded guilty to five felony counts of theft.

Christine Bitterman entered her pleas in District Court on Tuesday and is scheduled for sentencing Sept. 12. A plea deal in the case calls for a 20-year sentence under the supervision of the state Department of Corrections, with 15 years suspended.

Prosecutors say Bitterman used a complex scheme to skim money from cash payments while she worked for Montana Residence Life at the university. Court records say UM's internal audit made a "conservative" estimate that as much as $304,000 was stolen.

The scheme began in 2003 and continued through July 2010.

Associated Press