Former Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner on Trial for Embezzlement
More than a year after his official resignation from office, former Oklahoma insurance commissioner Carroll Fisher will go to trial February 6 on charges of embezzlement.
This court appearance by Fisher represents the first of five criminal cases against him.
The former commissioner resigned from office in September 2004, just days before his scheduled impeachment hearing in the state senate. Fisher had been accused by state government of corruption, neglect of duty and incompetency.
Fisher told the Associated Press that he stepped down because he didn't think he could get a fair trial in the senate, and resigned in order to fight the criminal charges full-time.
According to the Insurance Journal, an endictment returned against Fisher in July 2004 alleged that, the previous year, he used a $1,000 campaign contribution from Oxford, Miss. insurance agent Johnny Jordan Morgan to reimburse his personal bank account, which was overdrawn at the time.
Fisher has pleaded not guilty in the embezzlement case. However, he also faces charges of perjury, bribery, false income tax filing, failure to turn money over to the state, failure to report charitable contributions and failure to keep records of contributions.
Will Fisher be found guilty? Stay tuned....
