Community Awareness Post I want to bring attention to a concerning situation involving a family and Farm Bureau, and I feel it's important for the community to know what has happened. An employee of Farm Bureau, Heidi Otte, has been involved in serious financial misconduct. She embezzled approximately $28,000 from a family friend who trusted her like a mother. On top of that, she abused her role as trustee by taking over $10,000 from a family trust account - even going as far as writing checks to herself. In total, this family has had nearly $40,000 embezzled at the hands of someone they trusted. Heidi was only able to carry out this theft because she abused her position and power while working at Farm Bureau, taking advantage of both her role and the trust people placed in her. When this was discovered, the family reported the situation to Kevin Garber, Heidi's boss and a Farm Bureau agent. Instead of handling it with the seriousness it deserves, Kevin offered to meet at Green Tree Brewery in Le Claire to "discuss" the matter - an extremely unprofessional and inappropriate response. That meeting never happened. I'm worried this family might not be the only one who's been taken advantage of. If you have any accounts - trusts, car insurance, home policies, or anything else - with Farm Beru at the Eldridge location, please make sure to check them carefully. This family is going through a very painful and stressful situation, and their trust has been completely broken - not just by one person, but by an organization that has chosen to remain silent. Do not put your trust in Farm Bureau. read more