Embezzlement alleged at Reno casino site

Monday, Oct. 25, 1999 | 12:01 p.m.

Perini Building Co. Inc. sued former employees Paula Cole and Michael Yoast, alleging Cole embezzled funds from its Atlantis Casino project's petty cash checking account and altered employee time cards and other records to raise wages paid to Yoast, her husband.

Perini in June completed construction of a 27-story hotel tower at the Atlantis Casino in Reno.

In the Clark County District Court suit, Perini said Cole, its project controller from July 11, 1998, through June 19, 1999, responsible for paying Perini employees, had allegedly grossly overpaid Yoast, a craft employee, at least $33,000 and misappropriated at least $35,000 from Perini's petty cash checking account.

Perini's vice president and controller, David Krause, said in an affidavit that Cole had made unauthorized overpayments to Yoast based on his review of the project's time cards. He said they showed an alleged discrepancy of at least $15,000 between Yoast's time cards and the actual hours paid.

Cole could not be reached for comment.

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