TDSB administrator facing fraud charges

Patrick Rocco, 57, also charged with forgery with former colleague at Hamilton school board

A former Hamilton school board administrator and a current vice-principal face fraud and forgery charges following a lengthy police investigation.

Patrick Rocco, 57, of Fonthill is charged with three counts of fraud under $5,000 that police say relate to credit card transactions that occurred during his time as human resources superintendent with the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board.

Rocco and Niagara Falls resident Patrick Elliott, 46, are jointly charged with two counts of making, using and transferring a forged document.

Hamilton police Det. Dave Place said it is alleged “falsified documents” were submitted to the U.S. Department of State “relating to citizenship for personal gain.”

But Place said he could not reveal what kind of documents were forged, or for what reason.

Rocco voluntarily left the Hamilton school board in 2015 to take a top administration job with the Toronto District School Board.

Elliott remains employed by the HWDSB but has been told to stay home during a parallel school board probe, said chair Todd White.

White said the board notified police in May 2016 of “potential inconsistencies” discovered during a review of past credit card transactions, employee expenses and related accounting matters.

He said the review wasn’t spurred by a particular incident, but instead a larger commitment by the newly elected board in 2014 to update and “tighten” polices around procurement and fraud prevention.

White said he’s not permitted to talk about the particulars of the charges, but added in some cases they “may or may not relate to the employment duties” of the employees.