CLARK COUNTY — Today, a former Clark County Auditor’s Office employee pleaded guilty to charges accusing him of stealing money from the county.
Robert Vanderhorst, 63, was originally indicted on three counts of theft in office.
News Center 7 was there when he pled guilty to one count of theft and a second count of theft in office Thursday in Clark County Common Pleas Court.
As part of a plea agreement, the third count was dismissed.
As part of the agreement, prosecutors and the defense agreed that he stole more than $750,00, but less than $1.5 million. The thefts happened between April 2005 through January 2021.
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The investigation into Vanderhorst started after one of his co-workers noticed something wasn’t right with an account they didn’t recognize.
Prosecutors told News Center 7′s John Bedell that during that time, he used his public position and the trust he built up over the over the years to help steal the money.
“He created a dummy corporation that he had the only access to the bank account. He would cut himself checks, cash those checks and then take the money from the dummy corporation and put it right back into his accounts,” Dan Driscoll, Clark County Prosecuting Attorney said.
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Thursday, a judge ordered Vanderhorst to pay over $1.8 million in restitution and cost of prosecution. Vanderhost’s lawyer Jon Paul Rion called it a “fair resolution.”
“It takes into account number one: Mr. Vanderhorst taking responsibility for his actions. It also contemplates him paying back part of this money to the community,” Rion said.
With his conviction, Vanderhorst will never be able to hold public office in Ohio again.
He will be sentenced next month and faces anywhere from 2 to 12 years in prison.
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