Authorities introduced the arrest Wednesday of a Lengthy Island PTA mother accused of siphoning greater than $50,000 from an elementary college over a three-year span whereas she was employed as a New York Police Division officer.
Jodi Scarlatos, 43, of Centereach, served as treasurer of the Jericho Elementary College PTA when she allegedly started utilizing affiliation funds to bankroll private bills and outings across the begin of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Suffolk County District Legal professional’s Workplace mentioned.
Based on a lawsuit filed in Suffolk County Supreme Court docket, Scarlatos allegedly made the troubling transactions as she started defaulting on her mortgage funds in July 2022, prompting her financial institution to provoke foreclosures proceedings. The go well with mentioned she owes a complete debt exceeding $375,000.
She was reportedly caught after her management of the PTA checking account was transferred to a brand new board of members round 2023, at which level the alleged discrepancies started to floor.
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Jodi Scarlatos was arrested Monday over allegations she siphoned $50,000 from an elementary college PTA over three years.
(Fox Information)
“Mum or dad Trainer Associations serve a significant operate in class communities all through Suffolk County,” District Legal professional Raymond Tierney mentioned.
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“The allegations on this case symbolize a betrayal of the belief the residents of Centereach positioned on this defendant, and my workplace will proceed to carry accountable everybody who unlawfully enriches themselves on the public’s expense.”
Her lawyer informed Fox Information Digital Thursday the PTA mother had beforehand labored as a transit officer with the New York Police Division. She reportedly retired from the pressure in January 2025.
Based on prosecutors, Scarlatos served as treasurer of the Jericho Elementary College PTA from July 2020 by way of September 2023.
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An indication for the Jericho Elementary College on the entrance of a campus in New York.
Throughout that point, she was issued a debit card supposed solely for PTA-related bills however allegedly used the funds for eating places, motels, rental vehicles, Finest Purchase, Ticketmaster, Amazon and Verizon Wi-fi.
Scarlatos additionally allegedly moved money from the PTA coffers into her private checking account, prosecutors alleged.
As well as, officers mentioned she continued making transactions throughout summer time recesses and vacation breaks, intervals when college was not in session.
In July 2022, Scarlatos allegedly stopped paying her mortgage, in line with a foreclosures lawsuit filed by U.S. Financial institution Belief Nationwide Affiliation in March 2024. Court docket data level to mounting monetary stress and vital debt main as much as the motion.
The next 12 months, simply months earlier than she stepped away from her college position, the embattled PTA official had initiated a small fundraiser for a hospital supported by the elementary college, in line with her Fb web page.
“Assist me elevate funds for St. Jude!,” she wrote in a Jan. 17, 2023, Fb put up. “I’ve joined the struggle to assist finish childhood most cancers by collaborating within the St. Jude Math-A-Thon.
“I am fixing math issues and elevating funds to assist St. Jude Kids’s Analysis Hospital. You’ll be able to assist me attain my fundraising objective for the youngsters of St. Jude, who’re battling most cancers and different life-threatening illnesses.”
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The entrance entrance of Jericho Center College, situated in Jericho, N.Y., Nov. 14, 2024.
Scarlatos’ transactions allegedly continued till the subsequent board members for the 2023–2024 college 12 months took over and found the troubling findings, in line with investigators.
Scarlatos surrendered to the district legal professional’s workplace Monday and was arraigned earlier than District Court docket Choose Jonathan Bloom on a cost of grand larceny within the second diploma, a Class C felony.
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If convicted, she faces 5 to fifteen years in jail.
The Lengthy Island mother was launched with out bail and is due again in court docket Might 5, 2026.
Fox Information Digital reached out to the Jericho Elementary College PTA and NYPD for extra data.
Unique article supply: Lengthy Island PTA mother accused of stealing $50K from elementary college whereas she served as NYPD officer