MU employee who spent $7600 at a Las Vegas strip club initially tried to dispute a portion of the charges
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MU employee who spent $7600 at a Las Vegas strip club initially tried to dispute a portion of the charges

Date: October 26, 2012
By: Alexander Mallin
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
The Mizzou Athletics Department employee who charged $6,400 on a university purchase card at a Las Vegas strip club tried to dispute the charges before repaying them.
RunTime:  0:43
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Michael Schumacher is the director of video operations for the athletic department at the University of Missouri.

In May of 2011 he attended a conference in Las Vegas and racked up $6,400 on a university purchasing card at a strip club.

Athletic department spokesman Chad Moller says Schumacher first claimed that the charges were not legitimate.

Actuality:  MOLLE2.WAV
Run Time:  00:08
Description: "Yea, it was initially disputed, but then after going through the process he decided not to fight it and paid it."

An audit report from the university says the bank researched and provided evidence that it was, in fact, a valid transaction.

Schumacher was unavailable for comment on both his home and office phones.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Alex Mallin.

Intro: 
A Mizzou Athletics Department employee repaid $6,400 spent on a university purchase card at a Las Vegas strip, but only after he tried to dispute the charges.
RunTime:  0:42
OutCue:  SOC

 

Wrap: In May of 2011, Mizzou Athletics Department Video Director Michael Schumacher attended a conference in Las Vegas.

On that trip, he charged $7600 on a university purchasing card at a strip club, and came to the university shortly after to say $6,400 of the charges were not legitimate.

Athletics Department spokesman Chad Moller says the bank did the research, and Schumacher paid back the money after the charges were deemed valid. Moller wouldn't say why Schumacher tried to dispute them.

Moller says restrictions on employee card usage have since been tightened.

Actuality:  MOLLE3.WAV
Run Time:  00:03
Description: "It's not a legitimate use of a university purchasing card, it's pretty simple."

Schumacher was unreachable on both his home and office phones. 

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Alex Mallin.

Intro: 
A University of Missouri employee charged $6,400 on a university purchasing card, and then tried to dispute some of the charges.
RunTime:  0:41
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Director of video operations for the Mizzou Athletic Department Michael Schumacher attempted to dispute $6,400 he charged to a university purchasing card at a strip club while attending a conference in Las Vegas.

After a bank investigation, the charges were deemed legitimate and he repaid them.

Legal Clinic Director at St. Louis University Law School John Ammann says the university didn't take enough internal action.

Actuality:  HAMMOND2.WAV
Run Time:  00:12
Description: "What an insult to the students who work hard in their classes and their jobs to get a good education, and somebody in a position of trust uses school resources in this way."

Schumacher was unavailable for comment.

Reporting from the state capitol, I'm Alex Mallin.