The woman accused of stealing $21,000 from an Ansonia Parent Teacher Organization allegedly told people she needed the money because her husband had lost his job and that she needed cash for Christmas gifts.
Kelly Kahyaoglu, 48, the former president of the PTO at the Prendergast School, was arrested June 27 and charged with first-degree larceny, the culmination of a 17-month investigation by police.
Kahyaoglu made her first appearance in Superior Court in Derby July 11. She applied for and was granted access to a public defender.
She is scheduled to appear again Aug. 5.
Her case could be transferred in August to Superior Court in Milford, where more serious crimes are heard.
There is no bail in her case. She is free on a written promise to appear in court.
Arrest Warrant
The arrest warrant affidavit police used to charge Kahyaoglu was made available to the public July 11.
The document, prepared by Ansonia Detective Sgt. Patrick Lynch, states that Kahyaoglu took over the duties of a PTO treasurer in early 2008. Later she started using a bank-issued PTO debit card to pay for items.
There were no internal checks or balances within the PTO to monitor the purchases made, according to police.
Police reviewed PTO debit card transactions from Webster Bank between January 2008 and January 2012.
Authorities allege that of the total $50,527 spent by Kahyaoglu using the debit card, $12,630 was for Kahyaoglu’s personal use — or about 25 percent of all purchases made.
Kahyaoglu allegedly spent the $12,630 at Auto Zone, Bed Bath & Beyond, Bob’s, Comcast, Hollister Co., Intouch Wireless, Kohls, Lane Bryant, NAMCO, Ocean State Job Lot, Only for Her, Packers Pro Shop, Petland Discounts, Rite Aid, the Sports Authority, Sterling Pools, Team Fan Shop and Yankees Garage.
In addition, police allege Kahyaoglu used the PTO debit card to withdrawal cash to the tune of $9,046.25, which includes about $150 in ATM fees. Authorities believe the cash was also used for Kahyaoglu’s personal benefit.
The arrest warrant notes that Kahyaoglu had sole control over the PTO’s bank account.
“There were never any financial reports done or audits of the bank account and no rules in place to govern how the money was spent,” Lynch wrote in the warrant application.
Theft Goes Public
The PTO typically hosts three or four events a year to raise money for teacher supplies or to supply food and supplies at various school functions.
School officials realized something was wrong within the Prendergast PTO when an unnamed company began complaining the PTO had not paid for services rendered in connection to a fundraiser.
Kahyaoglu allegedly told three people — including Ansonia Schools Superintendent Carol Merlone — that she had taken the money.
She allegedly told police that the theft had started in 2011, motivated by the fact her husband lost his job.
She allegedly told a member of the PTO’s executive board that she had taken the money because she needed to buy Christmas presents.
The warrant alleges Kahyaoglu told the school’s former principal, Lawrence DiPalma, she took the money because her house was in foreclosure.
The warrant also indicates that Kahyaoglu cooperated with the police investigation, coming in twice to discuss the case, including a June 2012 interview in which she reviewed bank transactions and divided them into four categories — purchases for the PTO, purchases for her, a combination of both, and purchases that were unknown.
First-degree larceny is a class B felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
