Uniontown treasurer charged with stealing over $100K in taxpayer money

UNIONTOWN, Pa. (KDKA) - The Uniontown treasurer was charged with allegedly stealing over $100,000, prosecutors announced on Tuesday. 

An investigation began early last year after more than a dozen taxpayers received delinquency notices despite having already paid their taxes. The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office said a forensic audit of the 2020-2021 time frame found a loss of $106,750.

A grand jury found Antoinette Hodge, who was elected treasurer in 2019, took the money for her own personal gain, the attorney general's office said. During that same time period, prosecutors said she took several "costly" vacations and spent tens of thousands of dollars each year on gambling. 

Hodge has been charged with theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds received, misapplication of entrusted property, obstructing administration of law or other governmental function and perjury.

"The defendant is a public official entrusted to oversee city funds with integrity and accountability," said Attorney General Josh Shapiro in a statement. "Instead, she is accused of stealing from taxpayers to enrich herself."