PD: School bookkeeper stole $13K

Allegedly pilfered employee payroll, student activities funds to pay bills

MIDDLETOWN — A high school bookkeeper was arrested after authorities alleged she pilfered more than $13,000 from school board payroll and student activities funds over the period of a year.

The investigation began when police were called to Middletown High School on July 20 about alleged discrepancies in cash deposits made by bookeeper Jodi Bransfield, 53, of Main Street, Cromwell, over the last several months, according to court documents.

Principal Colleen Weiner told officers Bransfield’s duties include the sole responsibility of tracking Board of Education employees’ payroll and the student activities fund, including deposits and withdrawals, the report said. Weiner alleged numerous deposit sheets were altered by Bransfield by crossing out the total amount of the cash and entering a lower amount, the report said.

Three money order funds had been withdrawn on June 22, 2016 from the Liberty Bank scholarship account and in June 2017 $2,280 in cash was missing from the yearbook deposit, with a July deposit under review, the report said.

The total in missing funds is $11,186.90 and the alleged “embezzlement has negatively affected the student activity fund to the point where some annual student activities may have to be canceled for this school year and beyond,” Weiner said in court documents.

Police interviewed Bransfield, who is on administrative leave, on Aug. 14 at headquarters and she reportedly told them she was having financial troubles, was behind on her bills, and had borrowed $3,700 and $1,500 for her rent from the student activity fund. The report said Bransfield offered to repay the money.

An audit of the accounts showed $11,342 was missing from the accounts from July 2016 to June of this year and withdrawals were made June 22, 2016, from three savings accounts for $503 each, documents allege. The investigation reportedly discovered that the funds totaling $1,509 were missing and the money orders had been made out to “Greenfield Village.” Also, money orders were discovered to have been cashed with the notation “Apt 43 June,” Bransfield’s address, according to court documents.

Another employee told officers that between May and June of this year, she gave Bransfield $578 to be deposited, $142 of which was found in cash in Bransfield’s desk, authorities allege.

In total, Bransfield is charged with taking $13,287. She was arrested on a warrant Dec. 14 and charged with felony first-degree larceny. Bransfield is free on a promise to appear in court Jan. 10.

Middletown Superintendent of Schools Michael T. Conner hadn’t returned a phone call and email by press time and The Press was unable to reach Bransfield for comment.