Former aide to state Sen. Capri Cafaro under investigation for theft

WARREN ­— The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating allegations that state Sen. Capri Cafaro’s district director stole money from a personal account the legislator set up to pay for the operations of that office.

Police reports obtained today by The Vindicator from Cortland, Howland and Vienna show that Jonathan Wike Jr. of Niles is suspected of cashing at least seven bad checks, totaling $4,316, at Seven Seventeen Credit Union branches on those three communities in late June.

There could be even more checks, according to what a Seven Seventeen official told Vienna police.

Because it’s an ongoing investigation, Cafaro of Liberty, D-32nd, said she is limited in what she can say.

Cafaro confirmed that she fired Wike on July 8.

For the complete story, read Thursday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com