Former NYPD officer and PTA mom accused of stealing $50K from school
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Authorities announced Wednesday the arrest of a Long Island PTA mother accused of siphoning more than $50,000 from an elementary school over three years while working as a New York Police Department officer.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office said Jodi Scarlatos, 43, of Centereach, was serving as treasurer of the Jericho Elementary School PTA when she allegedly began using association funds to fund personal expenses and outings.
Scarlatos allegedly engaged in problematic transactions when he began defaulting on mortgage payments in July 2022, prompting his bank to initiate foreclosure proceedings, according to a lawsuit filed in Suffolk County Superior Court. The lawsuit stated that the woman owed a total of more than $375,000.
He was reportedly caught after control of the PTA bank account was transferred to a new board of members around 2023, at which point the alleged inconsistencies began to surface.
LOUISIANA ‘MEDICAID MILLIONAIRE’ BOUGHT LAMBORGHINI WHILE BENEFITING FROM THE STATE FOR YEARS
Jodi Scarlatos was arrested Monday amid allegations she siphoned $50,000 from an elementary school PTA over three years. (Jodi Scarlatos/Facebook)
“Parent Teacher Associations serve a vital function in school communities throughout Suffolk County,” said District Attorney Raymond Tierney.
“The allegations in this case constitute a betrayal of the trust that Centereach residents have placed in this defendant, and my office will continue to hold accountable anyone who unlawfully enriches themselves at the expense of the public.”
The PTA mother previously worked as a transit officer for the New York Police Department, her lawyer told Fox News Digital on Thursday. He was reported to have retired from the force in January 2025.
Scarlatos served as treasurer of the Jericho Elementary School PTA from July 2020 to September 2023, according to prosecutors.
A 43-YEAR-OLD MARRIED OHIO SCHOOL PRINCIPAL FOUND OUT HAVING SEX PHRASES WITH A YOUNG STUDENT IN THE OFFICE
The sign for Jericho Elementary School at the entrance of a campus in New York City. (Google Maps)
During this time, he was issued a debit card only for PTA-related expenses but allegedly used the money for restaurants, hotels, rental cars, Best Buy, Ticketmaster, Amazon and Verizon Wireless.
Prosecutors alleged Scarlatos also transferred money from the PTA coffers to his personal bank account.
Officials also continue to take action during summer holidays and holiday breaks when school is closed, he said.
Scarlatos allegedly stopped paying his mortgage in July 2022, according to a foreclosure lawsuit filed by US Bank Trust National Association in March 2024. Court records indicate mounting financial pressure and significant debt that led to the lawsuit.
The following year, just a few months before leaving his school post, the embattled PTA official started a small fundraiser for a hospital supported by the elementary school, according to his Facebook page.
“Help me raise money for St. Jude!” he wrote in a Facebook post on Jan. 17, 2023. he wrote. “I joined the fight to help end childhood cancer by participating in the St. Jude Math-A-Thon.
“I’m solving math problems and raising money to help St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. You can help me reach my goal of raising funds for St. Jude’s children battling cancer and other life-threatening diseases.”
FORMER Connecticut Police Chief ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING $85 THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM PUBLIC FUNDS
The front entrance of Jericho Middle School in Jericho, New York, on November 14, 2024. (Howard Schnapp/Newsday RM via Getty Images)
Scarlatos’ transactions allegedly continued until the next board members took over for the 2023-2024 school year and discovered the troubling findings, according to investigators.
Scarlatos surrendered to the district attorney’s office Monday and was arraigned before District Court Judge Jonathan Bloom on a charge of second-degree grand larceny, a Class C felony.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION
If convicted, he faces between 5 and 15 years in prison.
The Long Island mother was released without bail and is due back in court on May 5, 2026.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Jericho Elementary School PTA and NYPD for more information.
