Bradley worked for the university from November 1999 until she resigned Dec. 15, 2021, amid university and criminal investigations into unauthorized purchases made by her from a university account, according to MU officials.
At the time of her resignation, Bradley was employed as the assistant to the dean of the Miami Regional campuses, according to Ashlea Jones, a Miami University spokeswoman.
Specifically, between October 2016 through Dec.1, 2021, Bradley, stole approximately $91,266.67 from Miami University via unlawful credit card purchases, according to Assistant Butler County Prosecutor Garrett Baker.
“On or about November 1999, the defendant became employed with Miami University as an administrative assistant and then became assistant to one of the deans (in 2020),” Baker said “As an assistant to a dean, Miami University policy allowed her to have access to a department issued credit card, also known as a P-Card. The defendant had her credit limits expanded from $10,000 to $12,000 while she was at Miami University. Despite signing an agreement that prohibited using her P-Card for personal purchases, the Defendant did just that.”
In late 2021, the university’s internal audit department discovered Bradley had falsified receipts and provided misleading statements on her expense reports in an attempt to cover up the theft, according to prosecutors.
Bradley was interviewed in November 2021 “and admitted to using Adobe Pro to accomplish the alterations in the PDF files and to paying for her Florida vacation, amongst other things, with her P-Card,” Baker said.
“Records revealed unlawful purchases, too numerous to list, many of which were delivered to the defendant’s home in Middletown,” he said in court.
Baker praised the work by the university’s chief audit officer who uncovered the theft. He said the case was a difficult one because Bradley was falsifying expense reports and signing off on them as well as performing the credit card misuse.
“It pays to be vigilant in things like this, and organizations need to be careful who you give credit card to,” Barker said. “It is easy … especially if it is not coming from your account. Then all of a sudden it goes from being necessary purchases to frivolously things, like in this case.”
Items purchased by Bradley with the university’s credit card include a massage recliner, random items at Walmart, trips to Destin and Miami in Florida, Apple watches, iPads and $1,000 for a birthday party at Topgolf, Baker said.
Full restitution has been made to the university. One of the items forfeited to make that restitution was a sound bar valued at $89.99, Barker said.
Sentencing was set for May 10 by Judge Greg Howard. A maximum sentence of 12 months is possible for a fifth-degree felony, but not mandatory. Bradley is free on her own recognizance.
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