A member of the William Woods University Board of Trustees facing felony theft charges has resigned from the board.
"Elizabeth Farris has resigned from the William Woods University Board of Trustees. She was a member since 2010," Dan Diedriech, vice president of university advancement, said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. "Due to ongoing legal procedures, William Woods has no further comment."
Farris appeared in Taney County Circuit Court on Sept. 17 on two Class B felony charges of stealing from the client trust account of Farris Law Group, LLC - her ex-husband Eric Farris' law firm. Elizabeth Farris was the firm's chief operating officer at the time of the alleged thefts.
According to the probable cause statement prepared by the Branson Police Department, Farris is accused of appropriating funds from the firm's trust account "with the purpose to deprive victims B.S. and G.D. of payment from their settlement which was to be used to pay medical bills."
The probable cause statement reads that both victims hired Eric Farris in September 2010, at which time both received settlements in the amounts of $197,500 and $90,000, respectively. Those funds were to be used to settle unpaid medical bills to Skaggs Hospital, which is now known as Cox Health Branson.
According to the probable cause statement, Elizabeth Farris was the COO for Farris Law Group and handled all the finances - a fact confirmed by former and current employees. She had access to the trust and operating account and handled all of the firm's financial business.
"Elizabeth D. Farris took currency from the trust account and used the currency for personal use knowing the money belonged to victim B.S. and G.D. and did so without the consent of the victims," the report states.
The probable cause statement reports that B.S. has $66,360.42 in unpaid medical bills. G.D. has $27,132.20 in unpaid medical bills. Because both amounts are more than $25,000, both counts qualify as Class B felony stealing.
Farris is scheduled for arraignment on both charges in Taney County on Oct. 23.