Former PTO President Accused Of Embezzling $22K
WESTMINSTER (AP) — The president of a Huntington Beach parent teacher organization has been charged with embezzling more than $22,000 from elementary school fundraisers.
Orange County prosecutors say 52-year-old Gail Diane Panella-Monestere faces one felony count of grand theft by embezzlement. She's scheduled to be arraigned Friday.
Panella-Monestere is accused of the theft while serving as president of the Sun View Elementary School's PTO from Sept. 2010 to Feb. 2011.
She allegedly wrote unauthorized checks to herself from the PTO bank account for personal use.
She also is accused of keeping cash raised from fundraising events.
Panella-Monestere could be sentenced to up to three years in county jail if convicted.
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