Search for 鈥淧TA embezzlement鈥� online, and the results reveal cases coast-to-coast in which local PTAs lost thousands of dollars to office holders who tapped the funds for their personal use.
One of the biggest and highest-profile cases recently occurred in Brooklyn, where a former PTA from her child鈥檚 elementary school, P.S. 29 in Cobble Hill. In West Orange, NJ, a former PTA president is .
And in Sunnyvale, Calif., have emerged at elementary schools鈥攐ne for $21,000, and another in which $16,000 was embezzled through a PTO.
recently released a : 鈥淧reventing Embezzlement from Your PTA,鈥� featuring an interview with Laura Bay, secretary-treasurer of the National PTA.
鈥淯nits should always remember that fraud happens or embezzlement when there is opportunity, when there is motivation, and when there is rationalization,鈥� she says on the recording.
All PTAs should look for warning signs and make sure they have procedures in place so that there are signatures on every check, so someone is always checking monthly statements besides the treasurer, Bay says.
An audit should be ordered when there is suspicion that money is missing. If that suspicion is confirmed, PTA leaders should contact the police and their insurance company, Bay advises.
For more information, .