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Authorities announced Wednesday the arrest of a Long Island PTA mother accused of defrauding an elementary school of more than $50,000 over three years — while she was employed as a New York Police Department officer.
Jodi Scarlatos, 43, of Centereach, served as the Jericho Elementary School PTA treasurer when she allegedly began using the organization's money to cover personal expenses and expenses during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said.
According to a lawsuit filed in Suffolk County Superior Court, Scarlatos allegedly made these disruptive changes as he began defaulting on his mortgage in July 2022, prompting his bank to begin foreclosure proceedings. The lawsuit said he owes more than $375,000 in total debt.
He was reportedly caught after his control of the PTA's bank account was transferred to a new board of members in 2023, which is where the rift started.
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Jodi Scarlatos was arrested Monday for allegedly taking $50,000 from the elementary school PTA over three years. (Jodi Scarlatos/Facebook)
“Parent Teacher Associations serve an important role in school communities throughout Suffolk County,” said District Attorney Raymond Tierney. “The allegations in this case show a betrayal of the trust that the residents of Centereach placed in this defendant, and my office will continue to prosecute everyone who enriches themselves illegally at public expense.”
Her attorney told Fox News Digital on Thursday that the PTA mother had previously worked as a transportation officer for the New York Police Department. It is reported that he retired from the army in January 2025.
According to prosecutors, Scarlatos served as the Jericho Elementary School PTA treasurer from July 2020 to September 2023.
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The Jericho Elementary School sign stands at the entrance to the campus in New York. (Google Maps)
During that time, he was given a debit card that was only intended for PTA-related expenses but was allegedly used for restaurants, hotels, rental cars, Best Buy, Ticketmaster, Amazon and Verizon Wireless.
Scarlatos allegedly also withdrew money from the PTA fund and deposited it into his own bank account, prosecutors said.
In addition, officials said he continued to act during summer breaks and holidays, when school was not in session.
In July 2022, Scarlatos allegedly stopped making mortgage payments, according to a foreclosure lawsuit filed by the US Bank Trust National Association in March 2024. Court records point to mounting financial stress and heavy debt leading up to the action.
The following year, a few months before he left his school job, the embattled PTA official established a small hospital fund supported by the elementary school, according to its Facebook page.
“Help me raise money for St. Jude!,” she wrote in a Jan. 1 Facebook post. 17, 2023. “I joined the fight to help end childhood cancer by participating in the St. Jude Math-A-Thon. I solve math problems and raise money to help St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. You can help me reach my goal of raising money for St. Jude children, who are fighting cancer and other life-threatening diseases.”
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A photo of the front door of Jericho Middle School, Jericho, New York, on Nov. 14, 2024. (Howard Schnapp/Newsday RM via Getty Images)
Scarlatos' alleged dealings continued until the next board members for the 2023-2024 school year took office and found troubling results, according to investigators.
Scarlatos turned himself in to the District Attorney's Office on Monday and was arraigned before District Court Judge Jonathan Bloom on a charge of second-degree fraud, a Class C felony.
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If convicted, he faces five to 15 years in prison.
The Long Island mother was released without bail and is due back in court on May 5, 2026.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Jericho Elementary School PTA and the NYPD for more information.
