Local woman caught stealing from school district’s PTO fund

Montgomery, Pa. — A woman’s husband exposed her for stealing Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) funds to cover credit card debt and personal expenses.

Elizabeth Jane DeSantis, 44, of Montgomery, admitted to taking the funds during an interview with state police investigators in May 2023, Trooper Josiah Reiner said. William Weber, resource officer at Montgomery Area School District, contacted authorities in April of that year to report the misappropriation of funds by DeSantis.

In January 2023, John DeSantis spoke with Daphne Bowers, the school superintendent, and told her that he thought his wife took money from a walk-a-thon and book sale in the fall of 2022. DeSantis also told Bowers about a box with $1,200 in cash he found at his home, according to the complaint.

Both Elizabeth and John DeSantis spoke with investigators in May of 2023. Elizabeth confessed to buying movies, ordering food, and paying for streaming services with the money, Reiner said.

According to Reiner, John DeSantis claimed to be relatively strict with the family's finances as he "does not make a lot of money and his wife does not work," according to the affidavit. John allegedly described purchases made by his wife that "seemed expensive." He also said he confronted his wife about a Sam’s Club credit card, Riener wrote in the affidavit, claiming that Elizabeth admitted to maxing the card out and taking cash advances on it.

During the interview, John DeSantis allegedly said Elizabeth had issues with prescriptions drugs and lied in the past about money, according to Reiner. “John DeSantis related he would not be surprised if Elizabeth had been using the school PTO account to cover some of her credit card debt,” Reiner said. In a separate 2023 case, DeSantis is accused of replacing her child's prescription drugs and taking them for herself. She is scheduled to plead guilty later this year.

A review of Jersey Shore State Bank records, Pay Pal records, and school records showed a minimum of $2,000 being used from the PTO account, according to Reiner.

DeSantis is being charged with theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, and theft by failure to make require disposition of funds. All are third-degree felonies.

DeSantis is free on $15,000 unsecured bail. She is scheduled to appear before Kirsten Gardner on Aug. 9 for a preliminary hearing.

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