Huntington Beach PTA President scheduled to be arraigned for embezzling from school fundraisers

Posted by CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - Diane Panella-Monestere,  President of a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is scheduled to be arraigned tomorrow for embezzling over $22,000 from school fundraisers.

According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, Panella-Monestere, 52,Huntington Beach, is charged with one felony count of grand theft by embezzlement. She is being held on $25,000 bail and is expected to be arraigned tomorrow, May 18, 2012

Between September 2010 and February 2011, the Panella-Monestere is accused of serving as PTO president for Sun View Elementary School in Huntington Beach and was responsible for tracking and maintaining fundraiser money. 

Panella-Monestere is accused of abusing her position of trust by embezzling approximately $22,000 by writing unauthorized checks to herself from the PTO bank She  is accused of keeping cash raised from fundraising events intended to be deposited into the PTO bank account.

School administrators discovered fundraiser money was missing and reported the theft to the Huntington Beach Police Department, who investigated the case.