The Pennsylvania State Police have announced an investigation into allegations that the treasurer of the Wyalusing Area Education Foundation stole over $100,000 dollars in recent years.
According to police, the treasurer stole just over $121,000 over a seven-year period from the foundation.
The alleged thefts took place between Jan. 1, 2019 and Feb. 4, 2026.
The state police did not name the individual who is under investigation.
The Wyalusing Area Education Foundation has stated that the individual is no longer serving on the board.
Here is the complete statement from the WAEF:
As many of you have seen in recent news reports, the Pennsylvania State Police announced that a significant amount of funds was misappropriated from the Foundation by our former treasurer over the course of several years. This has been devastating and deeply painful for our board and our community.
For decades, the Foundation has supported students through Teacher Venture Grants, 6th grade field trips, and scholarships. Over the past 12–18 months, the board began working intentionally to grow the Foundation in a more sustainable way so we could expand opportunities for our most important demographic, our children.
As part of that intentional growth, the board took steps to formalize our structure and strengthen internal controls to support long-term sustainability. It was through that process that discrepancies in our financial records were uncovered. The financial information previously presented to and approved by the board, as well as reported on our Form 990 filings, did not accurately reflect the Foundation’s actual financial position.
With the assistance of outside professionals, we conducted an extensive review and promptly reported the matter to the appropriate authorities. We have fully cooperated, and will continue to cooperate, with law enforcement as the legal process moves forward.
The Foundation maintains crime insurance coverage and is actively working with our carrier to pursue recovery of the misappropriated funds. This will be a thorough and lengthy process, and we are committed to identifying and accounting for every dollar possible.
We also understand that some supporters may have sent funds directly to this individual, believing they were supporting the Foundation. If you made a payment directly to them that was intended for the Foundation, please contact us and provide documentation so we can properly account for those contributions as we work through this process.
While this situation is heartbreaking, it does not change our mission. Our focus remains on serving our children and strengthening opportunities for the next generation. We are humbled by the outpouring of support and grateful for the trust you continue to place in us.
If you have any questions or information to share, please do not hesitate to reach out.
