CASPER — A former longtime employee of Special Olympics Wyoming has been arrested on suspicion of embezzling more than $200,000 from the nonprofit group.
Following a monthslong financial crimes investigation, Christine Rodriguez, 57, of Bar Nunn, was arrested Tuesday on recommended charges of two counts of felony theft and seven counts of felony forgery, the Casper Police Department (CPD) reports.
She’s accused of operating a sophisticated scheme within the organization’s routine financial operations over multiple years that led to identified losses exceeding $180,000 in unauthorized checks and more than $26,000 in cash discrepancies, according to the CPD report.
Investigators say the case began in June 2025 after Special Olympics Wyoming reported financial irregularities following an internal review conducted after Rodriguez’s employment ended earlier that year.
Rodriguez had worked for the organization for roughly a decade.
Her role with Special Olympics reportedly included handling donations, preparing deposits, and maintaining financial records — duties that provided access to money and documentation that were allegedly manipulated, the CPD reports.
Authorities allege the scheme included falsified deposit records, misapplied check deposits used to cover missing cash, issuance of unauthorized checks, and forged signatures as well as internal approval initials. Investigators also report alleged alterations to records maintained for audit purposes.
Based on a review of financial documentation to date, detectives allege total losses of about $206,000, and officials say a final tally will be determined through the court process.
‘Fully Cooperating'
Special Olympics Wyoming said it discovered the alleged embezzlement after Rodriguez was fired for an undisclosed reason, according to a statement to Cowboy State Daily from President and CEO Jennifer Haines.
“Special Olympics Wyoming is aware of the arrest of Christine Rodriguez, a former employee, for alleged financial irregularities during her time of employment with the organization,” the statement says. "Upon discovery of the irregularities following Ms. Rodriguez’s termination from employment with the organization, this discovery was immediately reported to the Casper Police Department, and a full investigation was launched.”
Haines also said the organization is “fully cooperating” with the investigation, and because that’s still active, the group “has no further comment at this time.”
"Special Olympics Wyoming is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and protecting the interests of all of our athletes, donors, and supporters,” she added.
‘Position Of Trust'
Special Olympics Wyoming provided extensive documentation and assistance throughout the investigation, according to police.
Because of the complexity of the financial review, investigators also worked with the Rocky Mountain Information Network, a regional law enforcement support system within the Regional Information Sharing Systems network, to assist with analysis of records.
The Casper Police Department noted the case comes amid the organization’s visible role in Wyoming communities, including longstanding participation from law enforcement in programs such as the Law Enforcement Torch Run and Tip-A-Cop fundraising efforts.
“When someone abuses a position of trust for personal gain, it harms more than an organization,” said lead investigator Officer Jace Carver. “In this case, the people who ultimately feel that harm are the athletes and families who work hard to support Special Olympics programs across Wyoming.”
Carver added that investigators appreciate the cooperation of Special Olympics Wyoming, saying it helped build an evidence-based case for prosecution.
Rodriguez is scheduled to make her initial appearance in Natrona County Circuit Court on Wednesday afternoon.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is available.
Kolby Fedore can be reached at kolby@cowboystatedaily.com.
