Homewood working to correct ‘troubling shortcomings’ in city’s finances following embezzlement case [Video]

The City of Homewood is actively working to improve its accounting system following a special review from the State regarding the use of city credit cards as well as the arrest of the city’s former financial director for wire fraud.In April of 2023, 63-year-old Robert Burgett was arrested at his home after officers with the Homewood Police Department were made aware of “irregularities” in the movement of city funds. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Burgett used his position to embezzle the money from the city’s bank accounts between at least May 2023 and about March 2024.He concealed his crimes by altering bank statements, falsifying journal entries in accounting records and moving the funds into a commercial account before transferring them to his personal account.The city says that while insurance covered $500,000 of what Burgett stole, they are working to recover more. This month, the Alabama Department of Examiners …