Former PTO President Faces 3 Years in Prison for Embezzling $30K+

MONROE, CT — The former treasurer of treasurer of the Stepney Parent Teacher Organization pleaded "no contest" to embezzling over $30,000 and using the money on personal items including a trip to Disney World, according to a report on the Connecticut Post. Sarah Chiarelli, 36, faces three years in prison and her sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 13, according to court records.

Patch reported in May of 2015 that Monroe police arrested Chiarelli after a lengthy investigation into the alleged embezzlement of funds from the Stepney Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) banking accounts.

According to police, Sarah Chiarelli, of Hicksville, NY, surrendered herself on May 21, 2015 after an arrest warrant was obtained for her arrest. Chiarelli’s previous address was listed in Monroe. The Monroe Police Detective Division’s investigation revealed that Chiarelli was the only individual to have access to the PTO banking accounts.

According to police, Chiarelli was the PTO Treasurer when the embezzlements occurred and was also the past president of the PTO. During the course of executing a search and seizure warrant at her residence in Monroe, she admitted to misappropriating PTO funds for her own use but substantially underestimated the dollar amount she embezzled, police said.

An audit of the banking accounts revealed that Chiarelli allegedly made a total of 226 illegitimate transactions totaling over $30,000 embezzled for her personal use. Police say Chiarelli used these funds to pay for household expenses, a Disney World vacation, over $14,000 in cash withdrawals and close to $10,000 in checks, some made out to herself and deposited into her personal banking account.

Soon after the alleged embezzlement was reported to police, Chiarelli moved to Hicksville, New York.
According to police, her attorney remained in contact the Monroe Police Department to ensure she surrendered herself when an arrest warrant was issued.

Read more on the CT Post.

Related:

• Monroe PD Make Arrest in Stepney Elementary PTO Embezzlement Case
• Police: Stepney Elementary PTO Says Funds of Over $10K Embezzled

Image via Monroe PD