Former employee sued for allegedly misappropriating $51K through company credit card and bank account

GRETNA – An oil drilling equipment company is suing one of its employees who allegedly misused a company credit card and took cash out of its bank account.

Dresser-Rand Company filed suit against Kelly G. Lacy in the 24th Judicial District Court on Aug. 19. Dresser-Rand Company alleges Lacy was employed as director of Guascor Inc. at its St. Rose offices from May 2001 until May 2011 when Guascor Inc. was purchased by Dresser-Rand Company. The plaintiff contends that in his role as director of Guascor Inc. Lacy, was issued a credit card for travel and client entertainment expenses, as well as personal expenses, and that continued after Guascor Inc. was purchased by Dresser-Rand Company. Dresser-Rand Company asserts that in 2012 Lacy began for the first time to need to provide expense reports and receipts to go along with the purchases made on the company credit card. However, the plaintiff claims that in 2013 Lacy was unable to provide the required receipts and after an audit it found he had made $76,000 in purchases on the card that were not backed up by any receipts from June 1, 2011 through Aug. 31, 2013 all of which the plaintiff asserts Lacy later admitted $29,400 worth were personal expenses that he did not reimburse. In addition, of the amount Lacy is alleged to have charged to the company credit card, $18,000 was for four season tickets to the New Orleans Saints that Lacy said was for client entertainment purposes, but three of which the audit team found were for sale online. Dresser-Rand Company contends the audit also uncovered $5,200 in charges Lacy could not account for as well as $16,800 in eight check payments Lacy made to himself out of the company’s bank account. According to the lawsuit, Lacy was terminated on Sept. 12, 2013. The plaintiff alleges that although the defendant said he would reimburse personal credit card expenses, he still has not. The defendant is accused of conversion, civil theft, unjust enrichment and breach of fiduciary duties. Damages in the amount of $51,625 are sought by the plaintiff. Dresser-Rand Company is represented by Jennifer L. Englander of New Orleans-based Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart PC. The case has been assigned to Division D Judge Scott U. Schlegel. Case no. 741-421.