Secretary of State worker accepted bribes

SPRINGFIELD -- A woman who works in the secretary of state's office is accused of accepting bribes to provide personal information on car owners and to help a convicted con artist obtain false vehicle titles.

Secretary of state spokesman Dave Druker says a joint investigation by the U.S. Secret Service and secretary of state police led to 46-year-old Yvette Beler of Springfield. Beler faces federal charges because she's accused of using the U.S. mail to carry out the scheme.

Beler, however, denies the allegations, saying "I didn't do it; that's all you need to know."

According to court documents, an informant told authorities that he'd met Beler a couple of years ago and eventually started asking her for information in exchange for money.

Beler is scheduled to appear today in federal court in Chicago.