Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin today announced that Fred Randall (age 61), with a last known address of 128 Asylum Road, Warwick, pled nolo contendere today before Superior Court Justice Jeffrey A. Lanphear to one count of embezzlement from the University of Rhode Island (URI), where he was employed as a fiscal clerk and later as a senior teller at the College of Continuing Education at the Feinstein Providence Campus.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Randall was sentenced to 20 years, with four years to serve and the remainder suspended with probation and ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $200,000. Judge Lanphear stayed the execution of the sentence until July 1, 2014.
Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Randall stole approximately $200,000 from the URI between 2005 and 2011. As fiscal clerk and later senior teller, Randall collected tuition payments and prepared all deposits and accompanying documentation. Randall mismatched checks with deposits allowing him to steal the difference.
"While many students and families struggle to pay for the ever increasing cost of higher education, it is not only illegal, but also immoral and insulting for Fred Randall to siphon money from the University to feed his growing gambling addiction," said Attorney General Kilmartin.
The case was investigated by the Rhode Island State Police. Corporal Claire Demarais and Investigator Gerard Ratigan, a Certified Fraud Examiner in the Financial Crimes Unit. Special Assistant Attorney General Roger Demers prosecuted the case on behalf of the Office of Attorney General.