East Providence Woman Charged with Stealing $400,000 From Catholic Foundation

Members of the arrested Cheryl A. Bibeau, 51, of 382 Bullocks Point Avenue in East Providence on a state police affidavit and arrest warrant for larceny and forgery on Wednesday, Dec. 21. The arrest was the result of an officer stopping the woman's car due to an expired inspection sticker.  

The arrest warrant was the result of an investigation of a complaint from the North American Catholic Educational Programming Foundation (NACEPF) by a State Trooper assigned to the Scituate Barracks and a member of the Financial Crimes Unit, according to a press release issued by the state police.

Bibeau was the bookkeeper at NACEPF at the time of the theft. The investigation revealed that from 2007 through April of 2010, Bibeau stole $400,656.98 from NACEPF by preparing, forging, and negotiating 565 checks from the foundation’s accounts. The scheme was uncovered when a software program at Sovereign Bank flagged a duplicate NACEPF check number. The original check was paid to a foundation vendor and the duplicate check was cashed by Bibeau, according to the press release.

Bibeau provided a detailed statement in which she took responsibility for the theft, according to the press release. She was processed at the Lincoln Woods Barracks; arraigned on charges of larceny over $500 and uttering and publishing fraudulent checks; and released after posting $10,000 bail with surety.