Ex-PTA treasurer admits stealing $50K from school, blowing it on hotels, Ticketmaster and Best Buy

Centereach mom pleads guilty to stealing more than $50,000 from a Centereach elementary school PTA

Hotel rooms. Rental cars. Ticketmaster.

None of it was supposed to go on Centereach’s Jericho Elementary School PTA debit card. Prosecutors said the former PTA treasurer charged it all anyway, and last week she admitted it in court.

Jodi Scarlatos, 44, of Centereach, pleaded guilty Oct. 15 to second-degree grand larceny for stealing more than $50,000 from the elementary school’s Parent Teacher Association, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said.

“Stealing from an elementary school PTA is a disgraceful betrayal of the students, parents and teachers who work hard to give children opportunities to succeed,” Tierney said.

Scarlatos served as PTA treasurer from July 2020 to September 2023, according to court documents and her own admissions during her plea. The role gave her access to the PTA bank account and a debit card meant only for PTA expenses.

The spending came to light during the 2023-24 school year, after control of the account passed to new board members.

Investigators found PTA money had gone to restaurants, hotels, rental cars, Best Buy, Ticketmaster, Amazon and Verizon Wireless, prosecutors said. Some of the charges were made during summer and holiday breaks, when school wasn’t in session, Tierney noted.

Scarlatos, who was arrested back in April, also withdrew cash from the PTA account and deposited it straight into her personal bank account, according to the DA’s office.

Scarlatos entered her plea before District Court Judge James McDonaugh. She has repaid part of the money and must now pay the remaining $32,678.11 in restitution, prosecutors said.

Tierney said the case marks the second conviction this year of a PTA officer stealing money meant for children.

“My message for anyone taking advantage of a role of trust like this is that we will find you and prosecute you,” he said. “This defendant will now have a felony record and will be required to make restitution of every dollar she stole.”

Scarlatos is due back in court on April 13.

_{Top: Jodi Scarlatos (provided by SCDA).}

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