West Linn Gambling Problem

West Linn has a gambling problem, and her name is Elma Magkamit. Magkamit is a 53 year old woman who used to be West Linn’s Finance Director – until she stole $1.4 million from the city over the course of almost five years.

Magkamit was in court on Friday to plead guilty to 57 counts of first degree theft and first degree aggravated theft for stealing the money. It has been called the largest case of public corruption Oregon has ever seen. After eleven minutes of Clackamas County Circuit Court Judge Eve Miller reading the counts against her, sentencing was set for November 17^th.

Deputy District Attorney Mike Regan did not mention how much prison time they were recommending, and when asked if he was pleased by the outcome, he answered that he was satisfied but not happy. Magkamit used the money she stole to play the slot machines at Spirit Mountain Casino, and is remorseful of what she has done. She is a gambling addict, and playing the slot machines was her drug.

She is making attempts to pay back the city, offering her home and her retirement account, but City Manager Chris Jordan said he thinks Magkamit should spent 10 years in jail. Magkamit was fired from her job, but that was before the city had discovered what she had done. Being an addict, she then lost her severance pay at the slot machines as well.

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