Ex-federal worker admits embezzling $26,000 from GSA

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A former federal employee pleaded guilty on Monday to embezzling more than $26,000 from the Office of the General Services Administration in Kansas City.

Milton Jerome Younger, 43, of Kansas City, waived his right to a grand jury indictment and pleaded guilty to a three-count federal information accusing him of embezzling a total of $26,635.74 from mid-2001 to Jan. 25.

Prosecutors alleged that Younger, while working as a transportation operations specialist for the Federal Supply Service's Fleet Management Division, told three vendors who auction off GSA vehicles that there were overpayments on their accounts.

Younger then created fraudulent invoices, prosecutors said, causing payments that the vendors had not earned.

In his plea, Younger admitted asking each of the vendors to send replacement checks directly to him, after which he endorsed the checks and put the money into his personal account.

He could get 30 years in prison and a $75,000 fine.

No sentencing date has been set.