Former McKeesport band booster volunteer accused of stealing more than $18K

MCKEESPORT, Pa. — A former McKeesport Area Marching Band booster volunteer is facing criminal charges over accusations she stole more than $18,000.

Jennnifer Martino, the treasurer for the McKeesport Area Marching Band booster board from April 2023 to September 2024, was charged with theft by unlawful taking, access device fraud and misapplication of entrusted property on Monday.

A criminal complaint alleges she stole around $18,250 from the booster bank accounts. She’s accused of taking the funds and using them for personal expenses, like utility bills, a hotel bill and restaurant bills. She also allegedly withdrew funds through ATMs and made Venmo payments to herself.

The court documents claim the missing funds were found after a new board president and vice president assumed their roles in June 2024. They immediately requested financial records from Martino, but never got them. They also noted that Martino didn’t present financial reports in the 2023-24 school year, despite multiple requests.

When the new president got records from the bank, the complaint states she noted “signs of mismanagement” and noticed a “substantial amount of funds were missing.” Upon reviewing the accounts, they determined Martino was the person who stole the funds.

The court documents call the estimated amount of money stolen “conservative,” as the boosters only calculated what they could prove as not being band related purchases or withdrawals. It also states there’s no way to determine if any additional funds were stolen from cash concession stand sales.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

©2024 Cox Media Group