EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — After a year on the job, a top staff member recently resigned from the East St. Louis Public Library.
That's according to a leader in the library system, who asked not to be named due the nature of the investigation.
The library leader said the unnamed staff member is being investigated by both the library board and the FBI, accused of embezzling $89,000 from December 2023 to March this year.
This money is meant to be used for library purposes and this staff member is accused of using the money for personal use.
5 On Your Side is not naming the staff member because they have not yet been formally charged with a crime.
Library leadership said they will be making changes. The library remains open.
"We are on the right track and will have a handle on this," the library leader told 5 On Your Side. "We've received two grants to implement after school programs, a podcast studio about to kick to off to talk about the good news in East St. Louis."
There have been a rash of embezzlement cases recently in the St. Louis region, according to Saint Louis University Law Professor Anders Walker.
Walker explained, "A lot of embezzlement cases are federal, thefts are crossing state lines for bank transfers or accounts across state lines. If the feds are involved, they probably do have some concrete evidence."
Walker said this act could be damaging for the library and the community's trust.
"Embezzlers have been responsible for driving businesses bankrupt and depleting funds, it could be very damaging," Walker pointed out.
5 On Your Side reached out to the FBI Springfield (IL) Division, which covers Central and Southern Illinois, which provided the following statement:
"Per FBI policy we are unable to confirm or deny the existence of an investigation, therefore I cannot provide any further details."
As a former East St. Louis council member of 12 years and a mayor for four, Robert Eastern said it hurts to see his city hit with another blow.
"To hear these things, it takes the life out of you. Even with the allegations, it’s alarming, it’s a travesty if these things are true. It makes you want to look at these things again and say what's the disconnect and what happened," he added.
Eastern said he was born and raised in the area and he's a proud East St. Louisan.
"One of greatest dreams and hopes is for East St. Louis to once again become that city it used to be, the all American city," Eastern added. "We are the City of Champions and this is not what champions do."
Eastern added, he continues to be a champion for his city and will continue to hold onto his dream.
"I’m prayerful and hopeful these are just allegations. I’m hopeful we can pull ourselves from the boot straps once again and say this is not indicative of who East St. Louis is. One black eye doesn’t identify us as a city or as people," Eastern shared.
5 On Your Side reached out to the accused staff member and the East St. Louis Mayor for comment but have not heard back.
Some of the library board members refrained from commenting due to the pending investigation.
East St. Louis Council members Ryan Cason and Jo Anne Parks responded for comment.
Parks spoke to 5 On Your Side on the phone and said, "These allegations form a breach of public trust. I know subpoenas have been served. I am pro East St. Louis, I live there and ran to represent the constituents. When I first heard about it (the allegations), my heart broke because I said, here we go again. We are put in place to grow our community and serve the underserved. This is an unfortunate situation and gives us a black eye.”
Cason shared in a statement: "As a city leader, it is imperative to promptly address the troubling information that has been brought to our attention. We must strive for excellence in our service to the people of this city, carrying out our responsibilities with the utmost care and diligence. I sincerely hope that the allegations will be proven false. My thoughts are with those affected by these events. It is absolutely vital that a thorough investigation is conducted from the date of hire of the former employee to uncover the truth behind these grave accusations. There is a nine member library board so I would like to know how this could have slipped through the cracks by it being such a large amount. Our highest priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of our community. Reestablishing trust and transparency within our city government is crucial as we navigate through this challenging period. Collaboration is essential as we work together to address any issues and uphold the integrity of our leadership."