IOWA CITY, Iowa: Last Monday, Judge Robert Pratt granted the Federal government’s petition to seize the $2,700 monthly pension of Ramona Cunningham. Cummingham is serving a seven-year prison sentence after being convicted in 2008 for her part in misspending an approximate $2.5 million in Iowa public funds on excessive salaries and bonuses for administrators of the Central Iowa Employment and Training Consortium between 2003 and 2006.[1]
Judge Pratt ruled that the full 100% of Cummingham’s pension can be seized by the Federal government wile she is in prison, but that it would have be reduced to 25% upon her release. The money will be put towards the $1.65 million restitution that she and a co-defendant have been ordered to pay.[2] To date, Cummingham has only paid $1,111 towards the restitution, even though she has received over $153,000 in pension payments while incarcerated. Cummingham’s attorneys have resisted any move by the government to seize her pension.[3]
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