A school board member and his wife were charged with theft after police in Middlesex County said they conspired to steal more than $53,485 from a public school parent teacher association and an athletic organization in Old Bridge.
Leonardo Marchetta, 42, and Dana A. Marchetta, 41, both of Old Bridge, were charged Monday with taking nearly $41,068 from the Grissom Elementary School PTA and $12,417 from the Rebels Football & Cheer Association, police said in a statement. The thefts were reported to police in September.
Leonardo Marchetta is a member of the Old Bridge Board of Education, where he chairs the athletics and extracurricular committee. He did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.
No attorney information for the Marchettas was immediately available Tuesday.
“Over the past few years, (Dana) Marchetta has been actively involved in the Grissom and Salk PTA Organizations and the Rebels Football and Cheer Program,” police said in the statement.
“During her tenure with those groups, she is accused of misusing her positions and exploiting these groups financially for her own benefit,” police said.
Dana Marchetta is charged with seven counts of forged writing, four counts of writing bad checks, three counts of theft by deception, two counts of theft, falsifying records, money laundering, conspiracy and related charges.
Leonardo Marchetta is charged with seven counts of writing bad checks, two counts of theft, theft by deception, and conspiracy, police said.
Police alleged some of the stolen money was deposited into Leonardo Marchetta’s personal accounts and the couple “conspired in reference to benefiting from the stolen funds.”
Stories by Anthony G. Attrino
Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.