Merrick Woman Who Was Executive Director of Nassau Non-Profit Charged With Embezzlement

The former executive director of a Lynbrook-based charity was charged with embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from the charity for her own personal use, including for a down payment on her $1.3 million Merrick home, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Wafa Abboud, 48, was indicted in front of a grand jury on seven charges along with Marcelle P. Bailey, 49, of Floral Park and Rami Misbah Taha, 39, of the Bronx who are also accused of embezzling and laundering money from the Human First, Inc., a non-profit for people with developmental disabilities, according to the U.S. Attorney.

Abboud served as the executive director between January 2011 and May 2016 when she was terminated from her position.

During that time, she directed the company to pay $900,000 in consulting fees to a company controlled by Bailey, using a large portion of that money to pay for personal expenses, including $114,000 for cosmetic surgery, family vacations, jewelry and spa treatments, according to the U.S. Attorney.

In addition, she also used the money to pay property taxes on her home and make large international wire transfers, the U.S. Attorney said.

A few months before Abboud purchased her million-dollar Merrick home in 2014 she authorized hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments from the non-profit, which were meant to be used for renovations to Human First owned properties to companies controlled by Taha, the U.S. Attorney said.

However, the money was re-routed to Abboud and she used it towards putting the $340,000 down payment on her home.

She also re-routed over $400,000 to companies controlled by Taha in 2015, the majority of which went towards renovations to her home, according to the U.S. Attorney.

All three have been charged with embezzlement, conspiracy to embezzle public funds, bank fraud or conspiracy to commit bank fraud in connection with false statements they made to secure the $1 million mortgage on Abboud’s home, the U.S. Attorney said.

Additionally, Abboud and Taha have been charged with conducting an unlawful monetary transaction over $10,000, the U.S. Attorney said.

If convicted on the top charge, they could face up to 30 years in jail.

"Abboud used co-conspirators to help her steal funds that were intended to help children with disabilities; instead the funds were used to finance a lavish lifestyle," FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Rodriguez said. "Corruption is corruption wherever it exists. The FBI is committed to investigating and rooting it out, whether it happens in a public office or a nonprofit organization."