A woman stole over $130,000 from two school districts in New Hampshire while she was employed by them, federal officials said. Now, she’s heading to prison.
While working as a bookkeeper for the districts, the woman, a 48-year-old from Barnstead, used school funds to shop online and pay off personal loans, according to a July 11 news release from the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire.
An attorney for the woman could not immediately be reached for comment by McClatchy News.
“Instead of working honestly on behalf of two financially struggling school districts, (the woman) took advantage of them, betraying the trust they placed in her, by stealing tens of thousands of dollars to line her own pockets,” Christopher DiMenna, acting special agent in charge of the FBI Boston Division, stated in the release.
While employed at the Barnstead School District, she altered payroll information in order to steal $110,295.26, officials said.
Upon being fired, the woman was hired by the Hampton School District — located about 40 miles away — where she stole $20,966.52 from district coffers, officials said.
Following an investigation from the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the woman.
She pleaded guilty to stealing school funds from both districts in February, according to WMUR.
On July 11, she was ordered to pay $131,261.8 in restitution and was sentenced to 12 months in prison.
“I’m proud that we were able to bring restitution to the taxpayers while sending a deterrent message that this type of thievery will result in incarceration,” U.S. Attorney Jane Young stated in the release.
Barnstead is located about 20 miles northeast of Concord.