Bookkeeper Stole From School for Special Needs Kids, Paid Credit Card Bills: DA

A 58-year-old bookkeeper at a nonprofit school for special needs kids is accused of writing more than $485,000 in checks from the school's account to pay her credit card bills and other expenses.

Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said Thursday that the Long Island woman worked for the Martin De Porres School in Queens from 2001 to 2012.

Prosecutors allege that she wrote more than $485,000 in checks from the school checkbook from 2007 to 2012 to pay her personal accounts, including Macy's, American Express and Citibank.

She allegedly made fake entries in the books to cover up the crime.

Edward Dana, executive director of the school, said in a statement that "immediately after uncovering financial irregularities in our finance office," the school fired the bookkeeper and notified authorities. 

The school, which is a nonprofit and relies on donations and government aid to provide free education to special needs children, moved to Long Island in 2012.

She is charged with second-degree larceny and first-degree falsifying business records. If convicted, she faces up to 15 years in prison.

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