Treasurer Joyce Bidnick Allegedly Stole $100,000 From Rockland County Little League
NEW CITY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The treasurer of a Rockland County Little League has been charged with stealing thousands of dollars from its accounts.
District Attorney Thomas Zugibe said Wednesday that 57-year-old Joyce Bidnick of New City was arraigned on a grand larceny charge.
"She's admitted to stealing at least $100,000, but the amount could be far greater. We just don't know the answer to it right now," Zugibe told CBS 2's Lou Young.
She allegedly wrote and deposited New City Little League checks made out to herself and to cash, then falsified account balance reports.
Bidnick started out as a Little League mother 8 years ago. She stayed on long after her son aged out of the program in what board members thought was an unpaid position.
The District Attorney said Bidnick took enough money each year to pay for cars and vacations. It wasn't until last month when suspicious board members thought coffers were a little light that she panicked, tried to return some of the money and allegedly incriminated herself.
"That's very sad to hear that somebody taking from a children's activity," parent Tamor Amona said.
"That's horrible. Robbing children's pastime like that. Who can you trust?" asked parent David Gold.
A call to her attorney, Bruce Klein, was not immediately returned.
If convicted, she could be sentenced to five to 15 years in prison.
The case is the second within a year involving larceny allegations at a Little League in Rockland.
The treasurer of the Stony Point Little League pleaded guilty in June to stealing over $156,000. She was sentenced to probation and paid the money back.
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