California Charter School Finance Director Accused Of Embezzling $400K

Sheila Accornero, 42, of Cloverdale, California, has been charged with embezzling nearly $400,000 from the Kid Street Learning Center Charter School in Santa Rosa where she had been employed as finance manager.  According to authorities, Accornero forged the signature of the charter school's executive director on numerous checks written out to herself over a period of at least three years. 

Read the story here and here.

Update (8/22/11): Accornero has pleaded not guilty.  She is reported to have used the funds in part to pay for a prescription drug habit.

Update (3/1/12): Accornero, now 43, was sentenced to 56 months in prison and ordered to pay $398,574 in restitution.  She plead gulity in January 2012 to felony grand theft, forgery and possession of narcotics.