Woman Stole $60K Of Scholarship Money From Easton Union

EASTON, MA — A Southeastern Massachusetts woman this week was ordered to repay more than $60,000 in scholarship money she stole from a local union. Pamela Almeida, 55, of Raynham, was also sentenced to three years probation during a hearing in Fall River Superior Court.

Almeida was a longtime clerk for the Southeastern Public Employees Association, which represents public employees in Easton, Mansfield, West Bridgewater and and Milton. Police said over a five-year period, she wrote herself dozens of checks from the union's Easton bank account that exceeded $60,000. The money was meant for scholarships and counsel fees, according to Bristol County District Attorney Thomas Quinn. Her scheme was uncovered in 2016 when

Her scheme was uncovered in 2016 when a student notified the union that a scholarship check was late.

“This was a significant breach of trust by the defendant who stole money that union members had set aside for a scholarship fund and to get legal representation during contract negotiations,” Quinn said in a statement. “Based on this significant theft of funds, we felt that the defendant should have been sentenced to jail. I hope the defendant has the same enthusiasm for paying back the money that she did for stealing it.”

Almeida was ordered to pay $50,000 of restitution to the union this week and another $13,729 over the course of her probation.

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