An embezzlement investigation is underway at Southlake Insurance in Gore. The investigation includes a former employee.
Doug Kirkley, Sequoyah County assistant district attorney, said the owner of Southlake Insurance, Peggy Sheffield-Chester, contacted the Gore Police Department over the possible mishandling of funds by a former employee.
Kirkley said the police and owner wanted to make the district attorney's office aware of the situation, and told him they had called the Oklahoma Insurance Commission to investigate.
Kirkley said he received a call from Greg Shields, chief investigator with the insurance commissioner's fraud unit who received the complaint. Shields was set to begin his investigation on Monday.
Kirkley said his office is waiting to hear from Gore Police and receive information from Shields before proceeding. He said he has not seen any reports, and no charges have been filed against the former employee accused of mishandling funds.
Kirkley said he assumes that Shields' investigation is being conducted to figure out what has taken place and how much money was taken.
Usually the district attorney's office receives a report from a police department, decides if the case is substantial, and then charges are filed, Kirkley explained.
Kirkley said he has no idea of the amount of money that was possibly embezzled.
