Crime & Safety
School Volunteer Busted For Looting $7K From PTO: Police
The case came to light when the Sarasota school organization realized funds were missing from its accounts, officials said. (Breaking)
SARASOTA, FL – A volunteer with the Parent Teacher Organization at Southside Elementary School was arrested for allegedly stealing the group's money and depositing it into her bank account, police said today.
Tiffani Donovan, 48, of Sarasota, was arrested Wednesday and charged with 11 counts of suspicion of forged checks and one count of suspected scheme to defraud after she purportedly stole checks, totaling $7,325, made payable to the Southside Elementary PTO and deposited them in her personal bank accounts, according to the Sarasota Police Department.
Police said the scheme spanned from July 4, 2016 to Dec. 17, 2016 and was brought to law enforcement's attention in May when Southside PTO members reported the missing funds.
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The members of the PTO told officers that several different organizations within the PTO solicit and collect donations and that one of the groups, "Southside BusinessPartners," learned of the missing funds and stolen checks, police said.
The PTO's checks and cash donations from parents were brought to the school by their children or dropped off at school office, then placed in an open mail slot in an unsecured area of the office, police said. The issue of the possibly stolen funds first were raised through committee members by email and then through questions at PTO meetings, according to the agency.
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The bank of first deposit was established on stolen checks, and the personal information on the account belonged to Donovan, police said.
"All of the checks were never deposited into the PTO's account," Sarasota police said. "Every one of the 11 checks were made payable to the Southside PTO and hand endorsed by Donovan."
After her arrest, Donovan was booked at the Sarasota County Jail.
Southside Elementary is located at 1901 Webber St. and serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges are possible, police said.
Anyone with information on this case can call Civilian Investigator Melody Shimmell at 941-954-7032 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers by calling 941-366-TIPS or online at www.sarasotacrimestoppers.com
--Image via SPD
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