Over $1 million from a Missoula bank, nearly $1 million from a Missoula casino, $300,000 from University of Montana housing, $171,000 from Missoula Hospice, embezzlement is the crime in the spotlight at a seminar on Monday, April 8, 2013 sponsored by the Missoula Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber president Kim LaTriielle said "the Chamber is offering to any and all businesses in Missoula if they would like to know more about fraud and embezzlement, we find from our Missoula County Attorney, these issues are increasing in our community."

"The whole idea," Latreille said, "is for them to find out that fraud and embezzlement is real, and what's all involved, and find out ways to protect themselves."

Chamber of Commerce President Kim LaTrielle

Missoula County Attorney Fred Van Valkenburg will be conducting the seminar. "I think one of the problems is that business owners put people in positions where they have access to money, and they trust these people," Van Valkenbug said, "and they don't have good checks and balances in place to make sure that they're not abusing the trust that they've been given."

Missoula County Attorney Fred Van Valkenburg

LaTrielle said the seminar is free and will be held from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Mountain West Bank community room, located at 3301 Great Northern Avenue in Missoula. Latrielle said there is space for 100 to attend.

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