Former Connellsville Twp. secretary charged with stealing $123,765
A former Connellsville Township secretary was charged for allegedly stealing more than $120,000 from the township and immediately waived her charges to court.
Leah S. Brothers, 41, of Uniontown is charged with knowledge that property is proceeds of illegal act, receiving stolen property, theft, 78 counts of forgery and 184 counts of other reason access device is unauthorized by user.
She was put on an unpaid administrative leave in May last year pending an audit of municipal finances by Cypher & Cypher in Canonsburg.
Township supervisor Thomas Cesario approached Brothers about inconsistencies in bookkeeping and missing money from township accounts at that time. The audit determined Brothers intentionally hid fraudulent transactions within the system, according to court documents.
Brothers allegedly made 36 fraudulent check payments to herself, used 13 expense reimbursement checks, completed 77 wire transfers, received 28 check payments and made 184 township credit card purchases that appeared to be used for personal expenses. She allegedly forged signatures of Cesario, Donald Hann and Robert Carson on the checks. Brothers reportedly collected a total of $123,765.81 in fraudulent payments, according to court documents.
Brothers was arraigned Wednesday afternoon on a $50,000 unsecured bond set by Magisterial District Judge Ronald Haggerty Jr. She immediately waived all her charges to the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas.