‘Hubris incarnate’: Register of Deeds says Riddick trying to pick pockets from prison
Wake County Register of Deeds Charles Gilliam says his predecessor — convicted of stealing nearly $1 million while on the job — is trying to “pick the pockets of her victims” from her prison cell.
Laura Riddick, who pleaded guilty to embezzlement Aug. 24 and was sentenced to 60 to 80 months in prison, filed a lawsuit against North Carolina this month. Her attorney argues the state “exceeded its authority” and acted in error when it ordered her to repay more than $126,000 in pension payments since her March 2017 retirement.
“Laura Riddick now claims that the adjustment of a portion of her pension is unconstitutionally ‘cruel and unusual’ and is an ‘excessive fine,’” Gilliam said in a statement Tuesday.
“The only thing excessive is the amount of money she stole, the only thing unusual is the leniency of her plea-bargained sentence and the only thing remotely cruel is the harm she continues to inflict on the people of our state,” he said.
He went on to say Riddick is “reaching out of the confines of the prison cells to continue to pick the pockets of her victims.”
“This is hubris incarnate, manifested audacity laced with temerity,” he said in the statement.
Riddick was set to receive about $7,500 per month in retirement benefits and received that each month from April 2017 to August 2018. That equals about $125,000 — the amount the state is now seeking back. She was given her benefits because she hadn’t been found guilty, said State Treasurer Dale Folwell. He is also named in the suit.
“Our hope would be that we would never have to apply this law to anyone,” Folwell said. “Unfortunately, it is is happening across the state at every level and all political parities.”
In all, four employees were charged and investigators believe a total of $2.3 million went missing from the Register of Deeds office between 2008 and 2017. The office records legal documents and maps, including issuing marriage licenses.
This story was originally published November 27, 2018 at 4:23 PM with the headline "‘Hubris incarnate’: Register of Deeds says Riddick trying to pick pockets from prison."
