Albert Lea woman pleads guilty to embezzling $200K in public housing rent payments

MINNEAPOLIS -- A woman from Albert Lea has pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $200,000 in public housing rent payments.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 44-year-old Marcie Marie Thumann worked as a bookkeeper for the Albert Lea Housing and Redevelopment Authority between January 2010 and July of 2018. The organization received federal and state funds to help the shortage of available low-income housing units.

During her time there, Thumann embezzled HRA payments for her own personal use, pocketing cash payments and altering information made by check or money order. She also manipulated her work's computer system to hide the money she stole.

Overall, she stole $213,217 in tenant payments.

She pleaded guilty to one count of theft from a program receiving federal funds. She will be sentenced at a later date.