Former Vienna fiscal officer accused of using township money for credit card bills, personal expenses

An indictment for former Vienna Fiscal Officer Linda McCullough alleges between November 7 and December 26, 2023, she used her role to steal money from the township.

On three separate occasions she allegedly spent between $7,500 and $150,000 "...by paying her personal credit card bills, including personal/private business charges incurred at businesses such as Pitt Stop Brew Thru, Rotary Corporation, Spectrum, Walmart, Home Depot, Sam's Club, Lowes, Amazon Buena Vista, Rotary Corporation, HF Everett Gas and Oil, Partzilla, Marathon Petro, Tractor Supply and Andrews Hardware."

The indictment also alleges McCullough "...prepared, entered and submitted false records including Uniform Accounting Network reports...to Conceal the payment of her personal credit card accounts with Vienna Township monies."

Earlier this year, the auditor declared a fiscal emergency over the township after tax and other funds went missing. Some police and fire personnel were laid off as a result of these financial issues.

Township Trustee Phil Pegg said, "We expect her to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for trying to financially destroy our community."

Pegg also said a state investigation and some annual audits have not yet been completed, so there will be more information to come.

McCullough is charged with two counts of theft in office, telecommunications fraud, and four counts of tampering with records.

McCullough is not in jail and will be arraigned in Trumbull County at 1:30pm on November 6th. She declined to comment on any of this.