Yonkers Woman Charged in Turkey Drive Fraud

Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore announced today that a three count indictment was put forth against Lorraine Lopez of 202 Hayward Street in Yonkers, charging her with:

• one count of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class “D” Felony,
• one count of Tampering with Public Records in the First Degree, a class “D” Felony,
• one count of Official Misconduct, a class “A” Misdemeanor,

The charges stem from the Nov. 22, 2011 Turkey Drive which is run by the city of Yonkers and it is alleged that Lopez cashed the donation checks that were received through the Yonkers Parking Authority according to the Westchester D.A.'s office.

The Turkey Drive is an annual charity event conducted under the auspices of the City of Yonkers, and donations are solicited to pay for the purchase of Turkeys and various other dinner trimmings.

The defendant received approximately $6,900 in donations for the express purpose of purchasing ingredients for Thanksgiving dinners that in turn would be given to various charities.

“The allegations in this indictment are stark; this defendant pocketed thousands of dollars in donations made expressly for a charity holiday food drive, putting herself and her wants and desires before those of hundreds of needy families in the City of Yonkers," said District Attorney Janet DiFiore.

"It is this kind of conduct that erodes the public’s trust and confidence in our government,” she continued. 

The larceny came to light when Yonkers Contracting contacted City Hall after Jan.1, 2012 asking about the success of the Drive and when no record of any purchases or disbursements could be located, the Office of Inspector General was contacted and an investigation was initiated.

The defendant surrendered to the Yonkers Police this morning and bail was set at $2,500. Her next court appearance will be on May 8, 2012 and the defendant faces a maximum of seven years in state prison on the top counts of the indictment.