Published Saturday, September 7, 2002
police say
Herald Staff Writer
A Brookfield accountant was arrested Wednesday on a charge of aggravated theft after police said he embezzled more than $650,000 from his former Brookfield employer.
Robert "R.P." Mild, 35, of 7090 Stewart-Sharon Road, Brookfield is accused of embezzling money from Kirila Contractors, 505 Bedford Road, the construction company where he was employed for the past 10 years as chief financial officer.
Police said Mild was fired Aug. 26 for unrelated reasons. After his termination, the owners of Kirila had their accountants check over the books and "things started to snowball," said Ernest G. Cook, chief deputy of Trumbull County Sheriff's office.
An audit issued by Kirila turned up huge disparities -- more than $600,000 -- in missing funds, Cook said.
Police secured a search and arrest warrant for Mild's home and five-car garage. He was arrested Wednesday and police confiscated three computers and "a large amount of financial documents," Cook said.
"It keeps opening up," Cook said, "as they keep going back in the internal audit things are being revealed."
Police also said Mild has made numerous property and equipment purchases. In December, he and his wife built Peas in a Pod day care center at 6900 Cherry St., spending about $50,000 for video surveillance equipment and installation alone, according to a story the Milds submitted to The Herald for the Outlook edition in February.
Mild appeared in court Thursday before Trumbull County Common Pleas Court Judge John M. Stuard and was released Friday on $100,000 bond, according to a court clerk. Mild's passport was confiscated and Stuard ordered that he wear an ankle bracelet at his home to avoid risk of flight.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and forensic financial experts and detectives are investigating. More charges could be filed depending on what is found, police said.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sept. 13th before Trumbull County Judge Andrew Logan.
You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Larissa Theodore at ltheodore@sharonherald.com