Countywide : Witness Says Elys Charged 17 Trips

Ventura Community College District Vice Chancellor Tom Kimberling testified Wednesday that district trustee James (Tom) Ely was the first to acquire a district-issued American Express card in 1982. He then listed 17 separate junkets that Ely and his wife, Ingrid, who is not a district employee, charged to the district account.

Kimberling testified during a preliminary hearing in Ventura County Municipal Court on conspiracy and embezzlement charges that have been filed against the Elys after they were accused of charging the district more than $15,000 in improper trip expenses.

The hearing is scheduled to continue today with testimony from district attorney’s investigators on what they learned about the Elys’ trips from hoteliers across North America.

It will mark the first time that hearsay evidence has been used in a Ventura County court since the June 5 passage of Proposition 115, which allows people such as police officers to testify during criminal preliminary hearings about what others told them.

Tom and Ingrid Ely are charged with two counts each of conspiracy to commit grand theft, and Tom Ely is charged with eight counts of embezzlement and 19 counts of making false claims.