Ex-Girl Scout Leader Ordered To Pay $20K In Troop Funds Theft Case

HOPATCONG, NJ — A former Girl Scout troop leader from Hopatcong has been ordered to pay more than $20,000 in restitution after admitting to stealing funds collected by two Girl Scout troops, prosecutors said.

Katelin J. Dora-Wester, 37, was also sentenced to two-years of probation on Friday and will pay restitution to the Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey.

Dora-Wester pleaded guilty to an amended disorderly persons charge of theft.

Prosecutors said she failed to deposit funds collected from cookie sales and other troop activities between 2023 and 2025.

Dora-Wester admitted to using some of the funds for personal expenses, according to prosecutors.

“This case involved a significant breach of trust. Parents, volunteers, and community members entrusted the defendant with funds raised by young Girl Scouts through hard work and dedication. Instead of safeguarding those funds, the defendant misappropriated it, thereby depriving girls of support programs, activities, and service opportunities. The sentence reflects the principle that individuals who abuse positions of trust for personal gain will be held accountable for their actions,” Sussex County Prosecutor Daniel Perez said.