City still missing allegedly embezzled funds

Tens of thousands of dollars are still unaccounted for of the money allegedly embezzled by former Bloomington project manager Justin Wykoff, said Timothy Horty, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern Indiana District.

On March 18, the U.S. District Court of Southern Indiana denied the U.S. Attorney’s motion to keep former Bloomington project manager Justin Wykoff in custody. Wykoff faces embezzlement charges against the city.

“There is a considerable amount of money not accounted for,” Horty said. “We thought he was a risk, but the U.S. Magistrate Court judge did not.”

Wykoff, with two co-conspirators, allegedly embezzled more than $800,000 from the City of Bloomington since May 2011, according to court documents.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office considered Wykoff, 43, Roger D. Hardin, 51, and Zachary Hardin, 25, at risk of not showing up for future court hearings and a risk to society.

Wykoff and the Hardins, former owners of Reliable Concrete Construction in Bedford, Ind., conspired to commit a federal crime through at least 24 false invoices created and signed by Wykoff, according to court documents.

The district court did not consider Zachary a risk and released him March 13. Four days later Roger waived his detention hearing, Horty said.

Wykoff is to be released to a home detention site once one has been approved by the probation office.

Each of Wykoff’s 24 counts of embezzlement carry 10-year imprisonment sentences. Roger and Zachary each face one count of conspiracy.

Dennis Barbosa