Former Philadelphia court clerk found guilty of embezzlement

Published 12:15 pm Tuesday, March 24, 2020

A former court clerk for the city of Philadelphia has been convicted of embezzlement, the state auditor’s office announced in a news release Tuesday.

Karen Refre, who was arrested by agents from the state auditor’s office in August 2019, was accused of manipulating the city’s accounting software and embezzling more than $11,000 during a two-year period.

Neshoba County Circuit Court Judge Mark Duncan sentenced Refre to two years in prison and five years in a probation program under the supervision of the department of corrections, the news release said.

The auditor’s office has recovered the entire amount of Refre’s demand letter by filing a claim against her surety bond, and she must also personally reimburse her surety bond company as part of the sentencing order, the release said.