Businessman accused of taking $425K from employer

By BRENT SHRUM Western News Editor

A Libby businessman and one-time mayoral candidate is facing allegations that he pocketed more than $425,000 belonging to his employer, Independence Home Center.

William A. Dancer, who unsuccessfully challenged Mayor Tony Berget in the 2005 election, is accused in a civil suit of taking checks from a half-dozen manufactured home buyers and funneling the money into a pair of downtown businesses and two personal vehicles. No criminal charges have been filed.

Following a hearing on Friday - which Dancer did not attend - District Judge Michael Prezeau granted a temporary injunction freezing Dancer's assets pending further court action.

At the hearing, Independence Home Center general manager Michael Brown testified that his suspicions were aroused in early October when he received a call from a woman wondering when her home would be delivered. She said she had paid more than $90,000 for the home in May.

"Right then I got really concerned and thought, 'What the heck?'" Brown said.

Brown said he called Dancer, who told him the woman had Alzheimer's disease and everything was all right. But Brown said he became more concerned after looking into a number of other purchases for which money had not been received at Independence's Sagle, Idaho, headquarters. He traveled to Libby to meet with Dancer, who had served as the company's local sales manager since the spring of 2004.

Brown said Dancer told him that the money was gone. Dancer claimed to have "gotten overwhelmed," Brown said, and to have used the money for his own businesses - the Smart Bucks dollar store and Myra's Attic clothing store - and to buy two vehicles.

Brown also testified that Dancer had falsely endorsed a check from Independence Home Center to a mobile home mover and had deposited the money in his own bank account.

Independence Home Center is seeking $425,155 plus interest in compensation for the checks Dancer is accused of taking, along with an equal amount in punitive damages and $262,000 in additional related damages.

In the 2005 election, Dancer drew 88 votes to Berget's 244.