DA: Fired Century III Mall Manager Stole $51K
WEST MIFFLIN (AP) - The fired manager of the Century III Mall has been charged with stealing more than $51,000, which he then spent mostly as casinos.
Online court records don't list an attorney for 51-year-old John Sabino, of Wexford, who also doesn't have a listed phone.
Sabino is free on 25-thousand dollars bond.
The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office on Monday announced that Sabino was charged with theft and surrendered last week.
According to a criminal complaint, Sabino had checks made out to himself for events scheduled at the Century III Mall in West Mifflin. Investigators say the events either never occurred or that vendors who put on the events were paid directly and not through Sabino. He was fired in August when the money was found to be missing.
West Mifflin Mayor Chris Kelly is not mincing any words in describing Sabino.
Kelly told KDKA TV News "we found out he {Sabino} was abusing the money, and he was taking us in the wrong direction. He lied to us about everything, the only thing he didn't lie about what his name."
Kelly, a former police chief in Homestead, and in Baldwin Borough, said he became suspicious of Sabino last summer, when Kelly said he and his wife and gone to the Rivers Casino, and they saw Sabino there, after Sabino had earlier told Kelly he was going to be out of town, and would be unavailable to attend an important business meeting in West Mifflin.
After seeing Sabino on an elevator, with a wallet in his hand, and smoking a cigar, Kelly said he told Sabino "I hope it was worth your while."
The District Attorney's office says Sabino sent much of the more than 50-thosuand dollars in stolen money at the Rivers, and other casinos, making more than 150 ATM withdrawals, and making numerous purchases.
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