Brigantine Woman Charged In Alleged Scheme To Defraud Philadelphia Non-Profit
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A Brigantine woman was charged Thursday in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud a Philadelphia non-profit corporation of more than $400,000, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.
According to Memeger, Rochelle Biesenthal, 64, carried out the alleged scheme between 2002 and April 2009, while employed as a bookkeeper at Jewish Heritage Programs ("JHP") based in Philadelphia.
Biesenthal allegedly prepared and issued checks, made payable to her, drawn on JHP's bank accounts.
It is further alleged that Biesenthal fraudulently authorized electronic debits from JHP's bank accounts to pay for her personal credit cards and her family's personal credit cards.
In addition, according to the information, she allegedly never reported her unauthorized income in her tax returns in tax years 2007 through 2009 and concealed the true sources of her income.
Biesenthal is charged with one count of wire fraud and three counts of tax evasion.
If convicted, she faces up to 35 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations.