shareEx-Legislative Aide Indicted on Embezzlement Charges
(VIRGINIAN-PILOT, 02/03/2010)
A former legislative aide to Del. Bobby Mathieson was indicted Monday on a charge of embezzlement.
Authorities accused Jason W. Robinson, 26, of the 5200 block of Summer Crescent, of stealing more than $50,000 from Mathieson's campaign.
Mathieson recently lost his re-election bid in the 21st House District to Virginia Beach City Council member Ron Villanueva by 14 votes. Mathieson, a Democrat, said he will seek a recount.
Mathieson filed a police report against Robinson in early September, sparking the State Police investigation, and fired Robinson at that time.
Investigators reviewed dozens of bank transactions and said Robinson stole the money between December 2007 and September 2009.
Robinson was convicted of embezzlement in 2004 in Chesapeake Circuit Court. As an employee of a Roses store, Robinson activated pre-paid credit cards of $200 or more in his name, according to court records. In all, Robinson took $4,259 worth of cards, court records state. He was given a two-year suspended sentence.
Robinson started working with Mathieson in 2007.
He was initially affiliated with a consultant Mathieson had hired to help raise money for the campaign.
After his victory over incumbent Republican John Welch, Mathieson hired Robinson as his legislative aide.
Mathieson, a former police officer, said he was unaware of Robinson's earlier conviction. He did not conduct a criminal background check on Robinson.
"I had no reason to look over my shoulder," Mathieson said. "Here's a person who's worked in campaigns."
However, after the Robinson case, Mathieson said he did do background checks on all his current campaign workers.