LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The former finance chief of the Nebraska State Fair has pleaded not guilty to felony theft charges related to state fair funds.
Patrick Kopke, 29, was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday but waived the court appearance, The Lincoln Journal-Star reported. His trial is tentatively scheduled for February.
Kopke was charged in September with three counts of felony theft by unlawful taking.
An audit found that a company Kopke created was paid nearly $150,000 in state fair funds but there were no invoices showing the company did any work for the fair. Prosecutors allege Kopke used bank accounts from the company to pay more than $100,000 in personal expenses.
Kopke resigned from his job as the fair's chief of finance and administration a year ago.