John Beal Roofing 'shocked and disappointed' by former CFO's theft

ST. LOUIS — The leader of John Beal Roofing said the company implemented new protocols after its former chief financial officer was arrested in a $2.1 million embezzlement scheme.

Richard D. Zellner , 66, of O'Fallon, Missouri, was sentenced Nov. 8 to 41 months in federal prison for using company funds to pay off $2.1 million in credit card debt and other personal expenses, according to a release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The release did not list the company Zellner worked for, and court records identified the company only by its initials, JBR.

But previous media reports identified a Richard Zellner of O'Fallon as CFO for John Beal Roofing, which has offices in Maryland Heights, Kansas City, Springfield, Missouri, and Carbondale, Illinois.

In a statement Thursday, John Beal Roofing CEO Sam Maiden said the company was "shocked and disappointed by Rick Zellner's betrayal."

"We are incredibly grateful to the Maryland Heights Police Department and the FBI, whose thorough investigation resulted in Rick's arrest," Maiden said. "The St. Louis community has supported us for decades. We value and appreciate that vote of confidence, which has enabled us to grow into one of the largest roof replacement companies in the Midwest. We look forward to being an integral part of the community for next 100 years and beyond."

Maiden said the company made improvements to its protocols, including adding a new CPA and instituting regular forensic audits.

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