Seattle’s Missing City Money and the Loophole That Could Free a Fugitive Controller
John Riplinger, Seattle’s former city controller, fled to Honduras after being accused of stealing contractor deposits. A state Supreme Court ruling that the money was not city funds may now clear him—and his bondsmen.
Olympia, Wash., Nov. 8.—John Riplinger, ex-city controller of Seattle, who was defeated for mayor and fled to Honduras, from where he recently returned, may escape prosecution for alleged embezzlement as a result of a Supreme Court decision rendered here.
On all city contracts at Seattle it has long been the custom that successful contractors should deposit a certain percentage of their contract price with the city controller. It was such moneys Riplinger is accused of having stolen. In a test case the Supreme Court held that these moneys were not city funds. Attorneys say this decision—that the money was not city funds—relieves Riplinger’s bondsmen from liability, as they only guaranteed safe handling of city money, and also means dismissal of all charges which were based upon the contention that the money belonged to the city.
“Attorneys say this decision—that the money was not city funds—relieves Riplinger’s bondsmen from liability ... and also means dismissal of all charges which were based upon the contention that the money belonged to the city.”
A public official accused of taking money, fleeing the country, then returning to face charges is the kind of story that still drives modern corruption coverage. But this case turned on a legal technicality: whether contractor deposits were public or private money. That same question—who owns deposited funds and who is accountable when they vanish—still shapes municipal contracting and public trust today.
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