Lydia Hemmings indicted for defrauding non-profit

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Lydia Hemmings is the wife of Hawaii State Sen. Fred Hemmings. Mrs. Hemmings was charged with defrauding a non-profit organization in May 2009, five years after wedding the Republican senator.

[edit] Background

Mrs. Hemmings headed Blueprint for Change, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving child welfare, from 2000 to 2006. She now works as an administrator in the Department of Human Service's Med-Quest office.

[edit] The Allegations

The state of Hawaii filed charges against the Republican senator's wife in May 2009, accusing Mrs. Hemmings of stealing money from Blueprint for Change.[1] Prosecutors allege that Mrs. Hemmings stole from the organization on three occasions in 2005.

[edit] Trial

Mrs. Hemmings pled not-guilty to charges of felony theft.[2] She is free on $5,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in court in July. The charges were filed just one year before the statute of limitations for such crimes expired, according to Sen. Hemmings.

[edit] Defense

Sen. Hemmings disputed the charges, saying that the financial irregularities that appeared in 2005 resulted from bookkeeping problems at the charity that were resolved in 2007.

[edit] Past Offenses

This is not Mrs. Hemmings first brush with the law. She was convicted of forgery and theft offenses in 1991. Mrs. Hemmings, then known as Lydia Hardie, pled no contest to forging checks four years earlier. Sen. Sanchez blamed the crimes on his wife's alcoholism, a habit, which he says she has kicked.

[edit] References

  1. ↑ "KPUA", State senator's wife indicted for alleged theft, 5/10/09
  2. ↑ "Honolulu Advertiser," Hawaii state senator's wife pleads not guilty to felony theft, 5/14/09
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