STATE POLICE DETAIL AGENCY PAYROLL THEFT CHARGE,

The payroll director for the Massachusetts State Police stole nearly $24,000 from the department through a series of “travel/training reimbursements” that were paid directly to her personal bank accounts, according to authorities.

“These payments varied in amounts from $500.00 to $950.00 and were paid to Ms. (Denise) Ezekiel through her department employee account for a total amount of $23,900,” state police Maj. John M. Lannon wrote in an application for a criminal complaint filed last month.

Ezekiel, 49, will be arraigned Monday at Framingham District Court on a count of larceny over $250 for the alleged scheme. As part of an investigation, Ezekiel admitted that she was not entitled to the reimbursements, and other employees in payroll said no one else had authorized them, according to Lannon’s report.

The 29 fraudulent transfers occurred during various bi-weekly pay periods between July 23, 2016, and Oct. 28, 2017, according to Lannon’s report. Lannon’s investigation commenced on Nov. 1, 2017.

State police placed Ezekiel on unpaid, indefinite leave when the alleged payroll irregularities surfaced. In 2017, she had a base pay of $80,980.

During the previous year, she made $94,051.

“As soon as MSP became aware of certain irregularities, we launched an investigation that led to the discovery of the thefts and the pending criminal charges,” state police spokesman David Procopio said in an email.

“The evidence gathered during the course of our investigation indicated that no other State Police employee participated in, or was aware of, her alleged scheme,” Procopio said.