City detectives think the former Derby Senior Center director used money from dues and bake sales to pay for furniture, carpet, bed frames, a yoga ball, house paint, dining sets, quilts and a host of other personal items.
But the person at the focus of the criminal probe — former director Sarah Muoio of Milford — has not been charged with a crime. Derby police said they’re still compiling records.
The new information regarding the investigation is from affidavits on file in Superior Court in Derby. Two detectives — Edward Sullivan and Gino DiMauro — authored the documents to get warrants to search Muoio’s house in Milford and to access bank accounts.
Muoio’s lawyer, Dominick Thomas, declined comment.
Background
Mayor Anita Dugatto fired Muoio Jan. 21.
The move was controversial because Muoio was mourning the death of her father, and city hall didn’t offer an explanation for the termination.
Dugatto remained tight-lipped on what happened until the city filed a complaint with Derby police Feb. 8.
A March 9 search warrant application sheds new light on what allegedly transpired in the days leading up to Muoio’s termination.
Muoio had been missing work because of personal issues, Suzanne Foster, a senior center administrative assistant, told police.
City Hall personnel were “constantly calling” to talk to Muoio but she wasn’t there, according to an account of Foster’s interview with investigators.
Then, on the day she was fired, Muoio allegedly gave Foster three folders and asked her assistant to “hide them,” according to the warrant. Muoio then asked her to shred the documents, according to the search warrant.
Instead, Foster told the mayor’s office.
Unnamed Derby City Hall employees came to the senior center, which is a short distance from City Hall, and took the folders, along with one of Muoio’s work computers.
After Muoio was fired, Derby hired Michael Plude of Kaskie, Plude and Co. to conduct an audit. Plude is Shelton developer James Botti’s former accountant, and was called to testify during Botti’s federal trial in 2010.
Plude allegedly found a number of “financial discrepancies” dating back to 2011, when Muoio was hired.
According to interviews cited in the search warrant, the senior center deposited anywhere from $50 to $150 per week into accounts at Webster Bank. The money came from fundraisers or dues paid by seniors.
The Derby Senior Center has a board of directors. According to police, the board thought they had about $28,000 in a savings account — but in reality, they had roughly $15,500.
Police Involvement
The detectives then looked at bank records that were left behind in the Derby Senior Center after Muoio was fired. According to police, there were dozens of transactions paid for using senior center money — but the goods were not for the senior center.
The transactions included four purchases totaling $4,000 from Overstock.com, including a queen-sized bed frame, nightstands and a nine-piece dining set.
The items were allegedly shipped to Muoio’s Milford home address.
“(Derby Senior Center) employees confirm that the items purchased from Overstock.com were not purchased for the (senior center) facility,” the warrant states.
City detectives also believe senior center money was used to buy about $800 of paint from Colony Paint and Wallpaper in Milford. In all, 20 gallons of paint in 15 different colors were purchased.
“Your Affiants (police) confirmed that the Derby Senior Center has not been painted while Muoio was Director,” police wrote in the search warrant.
In addition, police believe Muoio purchased about 540 square feet of carpet from Empire Carpet Today and had it installed at her house in Milford for about $1,700.
The money was deducted from one of the Derby Senior Center Webster Bank accounts, according to police.
Derby police believe there are more than 200 “questionable transactions” totaling about $21,000 connected to one Derby Senior Center account at Webster Bank.
There are also five “questionable” cash withdrawals totaling roughly $3,000 and 31 questionable transfers between bank accounts, according to Derby police.
It’s unclear when the Derby police investigation will conclude.
