Cedar Lake, IN – A Cedar Lake woman has been charged following an alleged embezzlement case involving the Cedar Lake Fraternal Order of Eagles, according to police.
According to a statement released by the Cedar Lake Police Department on Thursday, authorities began investigating in November 2024 after reports of missing funds from the FOE. Detective Marcus McDowell led a months-long inquiry, uncovering evidence that at least $5,856 had allegedly been stolen through forged checks and fabricated donations.
Police say Margaret Szarka, 61, of Cedar Lake, and the former treasurer for the FOE, was interviewed as part of the investigation. According to investigators, Szarka admitted to writing checks involved in the alleged theft and to signing the checks using the FOE secretary’s name. Authorities noted these actions were not approved and not typical practice.
Investigators reported that Szarka allegedly wrote checks to herself, including memo lines referencing charitable causes. However, Detective McDowell determined there was no supporting evidence for her claims that the money was being donated or used for charity. Police state the funds were allegedly deposited into Szarka’s personal banking account, with no records of charitable withdrawals.
Authorities say Szarka’s statements changed multiple times during the investigation before she allegedly admitted to the allegations when presented with evidence. On July 24, 2025, the case was presented to the Lake County Prosecutor, and Szarka was charged with 12 felony counts of forgery, 1 felony count of theft, and 11 misdemeanor counts of theft.
Szarka was arrested on a warrant and is currently being held in the Lake County Jail. All charges are allegations, and Szarka is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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