(Cumberland) Former Cumberland City Clerk Grace Thomsen faces charges following an investigation into the finances of the City of Cumberland.
On June 13, 2023, the Office of the State Auditor released a report of its findings from an investigation between January 1, 2014, and June 30, 2021. Grace Thomsen was employed as the Cumberland City Clerk in the inquiry. Several crimes were identified and documented during the audit and released in the report.
On Friday, July 7, Thomsen turned herself into Cass County authorities and was taken into custody on the following charges. First-Degree Theft for allegedly taking property belonging to the City of Cumberland, having a value over $10,000. Fraudulent practices for allegedly making an entry in or an alteration of a public record, or a record of a corporation, partnership, or another business enterprise, to-wit: the City of Cumberland, knowing the same to be false where the money or the value of the property involved exceeds $10,000, and tampering with records for allegedly falsifying, destroying, removing, or conceal writing or record, with the intent to injure, deceive, or to conceal wrongdoing.
Before she resigned from her position as City Clerk in June 2021, Grace admitted to the mayor of Cumberland to taking $2,000.00 to feed her family. Grace additionally made the statement to law enforcement when asked about the missing utility payments and where the money went. She also admitted that she did not pay for her utilities and took funds from the City of Cumberland to “keep a roof over my kids’ heads.” When asked how much, she estimated that it was under $10,000.00.
As a result of the investigation and her admissions, Grace Thomsen is being charged with 1st-degree Theft for the Theft of $27,955.13 from the City of Cumberland. The Theft was carried out through multiple means, including writing checks for unapproved or unsupported pay/salary, making personal purchases on City of Cumberland cards and accounts, Theft of utilities by not paying, altering the name on the billed account, and not billing herself, and Theft of cash by not depositing utility payments, rent payments, or other cash collected for the City of Cumberland that should have been deposited.
Thomsen is being held in Cass County on a $100,000 cash bond.
