Centereach PTA treasurer accused of stealing over $50,000, DA says

A Centereach PTA treasurer is accused of siphoning more than $50,000 from parent-raised money, a loss that prosecutors say should have supported Jericho Elementary School classrooms, events and student help instead of restaurants, hotels and online shopping.

Jodi Scarlatos, 43, of Centereach, was arrested and arraigned after surrendering to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office on April 20. Prosecutors say she served as treasurer of the Jericho Elementary School Parent Teacher Association from July 2020 through September 2023 and used that position to move PTA money into her personal bank account over a three-year period.

The PTA is tied to Jericho Elementary School, at 34 North Coleman Road in Centereach, inside the Middle Country Central School District. According to investigators, the alleged scheme continued until the 2023-2024 school year, when new board members took control of the account and Scarlatos’ successor noticed suspicious activity.

Prosecutors say the spending pattern included purchases at restaurants, Best Buy, Ticketmaster, hotels, rental cars, Amazon and Verizon Wireless. They also say Scarlatos used a PTA-issued debit card and made cash withdrawals from the PTA bank account, then redeposited the money into her own account. Some of the transactions allegedly happened during summer and holiday breaks, when school was not in session.

Raymond A. Tierney, the Suffolk County district attorney, said the case represented a betrayal of trust in the Centereach community and underscored the importance of Parent Teacher Associations in Suffolk County school life. The investigation was conducted by the District Attorney’s Public Corruption Squad, and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Tara K. O’Donnell of the Public Corruption Bureau.

Scarlatos was arraigned before District Court Judge Jonathan Bloom and charged with Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a Class C felony. She was released without bail because the charge is non-bail-eligible under current New York law. Her attorney is Scott Gross. She is due back in court on May 5, and if convicted on the top count she faces five to 15 years in prison.

The case now puts a bright light on a basic question for every school group that handles parent donations: who is reviewing the books, and how long can irregular spending continue before a volunteer account is checked closely enough to stop it?