Former Penrod Treasurer Charged With Embezzlement

INDIANAPOLIS -- The former volunteer treasurer of the Penrod Art Fair was charged Thursday with embezzling nearly $400,000.

Brandon Benker, 28, controlled the accounts of the annual September event at the Indianapolis Museum of Art from February to November of last year.

According to the probable cause affidavit, he wrote several checks to himself and dissolved one of the organization's CDs.

Benker's attorney said that he had a gambling problem and spent most of the money in Las Vegas.

Benker also worked as a CPA for Somerset Accounting, which is in the process of an extensive audit.

"If he was able to do this at Penrod, then it certainly raises the questions if he had access, the same kind of access, to the books of other companies," said Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi. "I think we have a duty to make sure that these companies are informed and do an internal audit to see if they are missing funds."

Benker is expected to turn himself in to police this week.