Woman Charged with Stealing $20K in Charity Poker Profits

A number of states permit charitable poker games as a way to raise money for various causes. A woman in Michigan apparently felt that her own cause was more needy than that of a program for kids in the city of Flint.

Dian Stephens is facing a litany of charges after allegedly pocketing almost $20,000 in money raised for the Community Kids Martial Arts Science via charitable poker games at "Pocket Aces," a Flint poker room. Six counts of embezzlement and one of obstruction of justice may land the 53-year-old woman in the pokey for quite some time.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette told Clickondetroit.com:

"This woman claimed she wanted to help Flint kids, but instead it appears she used her charity as a front to bolster herself personally.”

Prosecutors Call Her Bluff

After initially being charged with the embezzlement counts, Stephens allegedly falsified a document and presented it at a courtroom hearing in January. Michigan prosecutors tacked on the obstruction of justice charge and Stephens will face the judge again later this month.

The raked cash was allegedly stolen between 2011 and 2013. The proceeds were earmarked for teaching Flint kids martial arts training, as well as after school care, tutoring, and field trips.

One Drop Foundation, Are You Listening?

Flint has been making headlines of late due to tainted drinking water that came as the result of apparent cost-cutting measures. Lead and additional toxins well above safety levels were found in the city's water supply.

According to CNN, 41% of Flint's 98,310 residents live below poverty. The city was hard hit in the 1980s when General Motors downsized its auto-making plant. At the time, it was GM's largest plant in the country.