Jicarilla Apache Nation’s former purchasing agent has been charged with embezzling over $20,000 from the Albuquerque tribe.
Vanessa Cohoe, 46, was a purchasing agent for Jicarilla Apache Nation for four years. An indictment was filed on her behalf in December of 2015 regarding theft pertaining to the Jicarilla Apache Nation.
According to Indian Country Today Media Network, Cohoe stole about $23,000 over a six month period.
Cohoe finally pled guilty in early May, admitting to the theft charges and embezzling the funds. She stated that she committed the crimes while she was, in fact, the active purchasing agent. Because of her employee requirements, she had access to the Tribe’s credit cards and used them for unauthorized purchases.
Some of the purchases that Cohoe used with the Tribe’s money were buying gift cards, groceries, alcoholic beverages, clothing, and household products for herself.
She would modify the credit card bills before she would submit them for payment, thinking she would get away with it. Following an investigation in June, after she was suspended that May, she was finally terminated as the purchasing agent.
Cohoe will now be sentenced to between one and five years of probation and will be forced to pay $5,000 to the Tribe through restitution, which is the amount the tribe was reimbursed by its insurance company minus minus the total unauthorized purchases made by Cohoe.
What is a purchasing agent?
A purchasing agent — also known as a buying agent — is someone who works independently or with another organization or company who buys property or necessary products on behalf of another party. There are various purchasing agents for all kinds of industries and products.
What is a purchasing agent’s salary?
In the United States, a typical purchasing agent’s salary varies from about $40,000 to $80,000 depending on the purchasing agent duties. Obviously, a door to door selling approach would not bring in as much money as other agents working for larger corporations. A typical power plant services purchasing agent makes about $60,000 a year while a purchasing agent for a large company like Anheuser-Busch makes closer to $80,000 a year.
What is a purchasing agent’s requirements?
Those who wish to be purchasing agents usually need degrees in chain management, business management or contract management. There will be various purchasing agent training procedures as well as a purchasing agent certification program as well.