College official gets 6 years for stealing $7.5 million

A former St. Louis Community College employee was sentenced Friday to more than six years in prison for stealing more than $7.5 million from a program designed to provide job training.

Donald L. Robison, 57, of Ballwin, Missouri, pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering charges in August. In addition to the prison sentence, Robison was fined $125,000.

Robison’s case was unusual because he invested the money and made millions of dollars in profits. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that as part of his plea agreement, he agreed to forfeit $11 million — the stolen money plus the profits. The money will go to the college and the state of Missouri.

Robison was a manager at the college and his role included disbursing money from the fund of a program meant to train employees for companies seeking to expand in Missouri or moving to the state. The program was established by the Missouri Department of Economic Development.

Federal prosecutors say the thefts took place over a 21-year period beginning in 1998. Robison moved the stolen money between bank and investment accounts to conceal the scheme.

FBI Special Agent Richard Quinn said that while the FBI was pleased to recover the stolen money, “we should never forget that for 20 years, Don Robison abused his position of trust to deny Missouri workers and taxpayers’ money intended for them.”