Treasurer Charged In $25K Theft From Bensalem Music Boosters Account

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA —The treasurer of Bensalem High School's Music Booster Association has been charged with stealing more than $25,000 from the organization, police said.

Rebekah Watson, 44, of Independence Court, was charged Friday with access device fraud, theft by unlawful taking, and theft by failure to make required disposition of funds, the Bensalem Township Police Department said.

On Feb. 8, Bensalem Police were contacted by the president and vice president of the Bensalem Township High School Music Booster Association. They told police that they believed that more than $9,500 was missing from the association's bank account.

They noticed suspicious bank account withdrawals to a Venmo account named @Rebekah-Watson-2, police said.

Police were advised that the treasurer was Watson.

Bensalem Township School District administrators were advised and offered full cooperation with the police investigation into the missing funds.

After obtaining bank records starting in January 2021, the detective conducted an accounting of all of the deposits and withdrawals from the music booster bank account and the Venmo account.

A detective discovered that Watson made unauthorized cash withdrawals and money transfers from the Music Booster bank account into the Venmo account in her name.

Money received from booster members was collected through Venmo and placed into the same Venmo account, police said.

Police also discovered that $2,200 raised during a 2022 coin toss fundraiser was missing and never deposited into either account.

Money from the Venmo account was used to make payments for a vacation in Florida, personal taxes, Dunkin Donuts, Door Dash, Boscov’s, Home Depot, Lowes, EZ Pass, gas, and phone bills.

The total misappropriation of funds from the Bensalem High School Music Booster bank account was found to be $25,569.73.

Police said that Watson turned herself in at the police department.

She was arraigned by District Justice Gallagher and was released on unsecured bail in the amount of $75,000.