Cedar Lake, IN – A Cedar Lake woman faces felony charges after police say she admitted to using a Cub Scouts debit card for personal expenses, resulting in more than $1,700 in losses for the youth organization.
According to a release from the Cedar Lake Police Department, the investigation began August 6, 2025, when the Cub Scouts reported discovering unauthorized charges on their account after the bank notified them of insufficient funds.
Detective Marcus McDowell led the investigation and determined only two individuals had access to the group’s debit card: the reporting party and Amber Pfiel, 35, of Cedar Lake. Police say Pfiel later admitted to using the card without authorization, stating the misuse “began as a mistake” but continued undetected.
Investigators reported that Pfiel provided receipts for several of the unauthorized purchases and returned approximately $1,500 to the Cub Scouts account. The department said the total loss remained $1,714.98.
On December 8, 2025, the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office formally filed felony theft charges against Pfiel. Authorities credited full cooperation from the Cub Scouts organization and the persistence of Detective McDowell in resolving the case.
“All parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law,” police noted in the statement.
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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