The extradition process has commenced for Kinley Lee, a former controller at a Cincinnati country club, who is accused of embezzling nearly $900,000 in 2023 before escaping to Mexico, as reported on Tuesday.
Lee, 28, and his wife, Katherine Sulky, 33, are thought to be residing in a community with other expatriates near Lake Chapala, around 300 miles from Mexico City.
Currently, Lee is sought by U.S. authorities and has been ordered to pay over $4 million alongside Sulky. Despite this, he has been living in Mexico as a temporary resident and has even helped establish a restaurant there, per the country club’s legal representative.
The Coldstream Country Club filed a lawsuit against Lee and Sulky in December 2023, shortly after the theft was identified, although the couple had already vacated to Mexico by that time.
On Tuesday, WKRC-TV reported Hamilton County Assistant Prosecutor Andy Berghausen stated that the extradition procedure is in progress, but collaborating with federal authorities will take some time.
Lee served as the controller for Coldstream for less than a year, during which he and Sulky allegedly funneled funds from the club to accounts under their control. Testimonies reveal that Lee also manipulated salary and reimbursement payments to himself, resulting in a significant salary increase.
Documents show that Lee is suspected of gambling away a substantial portion of the misappropriated funds. A Hamilton County judge confirmed that the couple together stole $871,688 from Coldstream, and, under Ohio law, they now owe triple damages, along with other penalties, leading to a total liability of nearly $4 million.
