Lottery addict screams at judge, 'prison won't help'

Sep 27, 2006, 2:15 pm (21 comments)

New York Lottery

JailA sobbing lottery addict convicted of stealing $2.3 million from her employer to fund her habit screamed at the judge that prison won't cure her.

"Tell me how you're helping me!" Annie Donnelly of Farmingville yelled at state Supreme Court Justice Robert Doyle during her sentencing Tuesday.

Donnelly pleaded guilty last month to second-degree grand larceny in exchange for the sentence of four to 12 years in prison.

The former bookkeeper for a doctors' office admitted she stole the money. Prosecutors said she spent as much as $6,000 a day playing Lotto and scratch-off games.

"So put me upstate. But you know what? When I come out, I'm still going to have a problem," Donnelly shouted at Doyle. She continued her courtroom tirade for several minutes, threatening to kill herself if she was sent to prison — even as her mother begged "Please stop it."

The Suffolk County sheriff's department said the defendant had been placed on suicide watch at the Riverhead jail.

Prosecutors said that between June 2002 and November 2005, the former bookkeeper wrote company checks for cash, petty cash, or checks payable to herself and then falsely listed them as payments to vendors associated with the Great South Bay Surgical Associates in Babylon.

The average check was for less than $3,000 and Donnelly wrote them in oddly numbered amounts instead of round numbers to avoid being caught, prosecutors said. She also would "move money around" within the business ledgers.

The theft was discovered when a bank called one of the physicians to say his checks were bouncing. In the first year Donnelly stole $41,261 from the office. Each year, the thefts increased, with Donnelly stealing $1,381,927 in 2005.

Investigators believe Donnelly may have won some jackpots of $5,000 or even $25,000, but it was never enough to cover the amount she had stolen overall.

Donnelly told the judge Wednesday she knew what she did was wrong and that she had seen a psychiatrist.

"Give me four to 12, give me 25" years in prison, she said. "It's not going to do anything."

AP

Tags for this story

Other popular tags

Comments

DoubleDown

The only "Help" will be for the Doctor. He will now have all the money that he earns stay in his account.

DD

fja's avatarfja

I don't think she realizes that she's going to jail as a punishment not as a form of healing... 

konane's avatarkonane

Quote: Originally posted by fja on Sep 27, 2006

I don't think she realizes that she's going to jail as a punishment not as a form of healing... 

I Agree!

GASMETERGUY

I believe that being in jail for several years will help her.  She won't be playing the lottory; she won't be gambling.  So when she gets out, her grambling addiction should be gone.  If she returns to her habit, then nothing on this earth can help her.

I also think they should add a couple of years for contempt of court.  Then add a few months for being so stupid as to think she would never be caught. 

Littleoldlady's avatarLittleoldlady

She was just a common greedy thief and they should put her in jail.  Maybe while she is in there, she will get some type of help.  The poor doctor will definitely learn to keep his own books or at least have a seperate audit done once every three months.

justxploring's avatarjustxploring

I need a job.  I wonder if these doctors are looking for a new bookkeeper? LOL

                  Evil Smile

 

(how did she get away with it for so long is my biggest question)

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by justxploring on Sep 27, 2006

I need a job.  I wonder if these doctors are looking for a new bookkeeper? LOL

                  Evil Smile

 

(how did she get away with it for so long is my biggest question)

Yeah, but you'd have to move to Long Island.

maringoman's avatarmaringoman

wow, people never cease to amaze. She steals and now demands to be given a clean break because "prison will not help me." she might be correct on that but what about the rest of us who earn less than $30, 000 a year breaking our backs and never steal a dime, what about us?

dvdiva's avatardvdiva

She is upset because only now is she beginning to realise there are consequences for her actions. Her spending the money on lottery tickets isn't even relevant unless it won money for any recovery of assets.

Kidzmom's avatarKidzmom

Quote: Originally posted by DoubleDown on Sep 27, 2006

The only "Help" will be for the Doctor. He will now have all the money that he earns stay in his account.

DD

I know his family will be happy and his bill collectors too.

guesser's avatarguesser

Save our tax dollars.

 

Take her off of 'suicide watch'. 

BobP's avatarBobP

Now that it's been proven where the money went, the Doctors should ask the state for their money back.  I'm sure the state doesn't want to be the receiver of stolen money.  BobP

BazookaJoe

I seen a story like this back long ago where a women was stealing her bosses bag lunch and trading it at a local store to the clerk for some scratch offs. He caught her when the clerk called her and complained about the bologna smelled spoiled. Always make sure your meat smells good before you give it to someone. mudhole

justxploring's avatarjustxploring

Quote: Originally posted by BazookaJoe on Sep 28, 2006

I seen a story like this back long ago where a women was stealing her bosses bag lunch and trading it at a local store to the clerk for some scratch offs. He caught her when the clerk called her and complained about the bologna smelled spoiled. Always make sure your meat smells good before you give it to someone. mudhole

Thanks for the laugh!!

 

 ROFL

Subscribe to this news story
Guest