Chicago City Wire

The former director of the Markham Public Library in Illinois has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for embezzling over $770,000 from the library over a period of ten years. Xavier Menzies, who served as the library's director from 2009 to 2019, misappropriated approximately $770,715. The funds were initially received by the Markham library from the public library district in nearby Posen, Illinois. These payments were made for allowing Posen residents access to Markham's library services.

Menzies opened bank accounts under the name of Markham Public Library and deposited checks intended for the library. He later withdrew these funds for personal expenses such as mortgage payments, ticket purchases, and auto repairs. To conceal his actions, Menzies routinely misrepresented the financial condition of the library to its Board of Trustees.

In addition to embezzling funds, Menzies increased his annual salary without approval or knowledge from the Board of Trustees and continued receiving this higher salary for about three years.

Menzies, aged 52 and residing in Glenwood, Illinois, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal wire fraud charge. U.S. District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins imposed the sentence on Wednesday and ordered Menzies to pay restitution amounting to $770,715.

The sentencing was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, along with Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI's Chicago Field Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Prashant Kolluri stated in a government sentencing memorandum: “Fraud such as this one involving the misappropriation of public funds can be difficult to detect and lucrative to the participant.” Kolluri further argued that “Greed and an arrogant belief that he would not be caught or significantly punished are the only explanations for why Menzies chose to engage in this fraud.”