Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore announced today that Lillian Montilla, 44, of 757 Empire Boulevard, Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to 1 to 3 years indeterminate in state prison on a guilty plea to one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class “C” Felony, relating to the theft of $191,235.05 from her former employer.
Between January 8, 2009 and July 23, 2010, the defendant, who was a payroll assistant for Westchester Community Opportunity Program, Inc., admitted she stole the money by cashing checks made payable to former employees of the private, not-for-profit social service agency based in Greenburgh.
A restitution judgment order in the amount of $191,235.05 was entered by the Court.
The scheme came to light when a former WestCOP employee contacted the organization stating he had received a W-2 statement for 2009 earnings yet he was no longer employed by WestCOP during that time.
Greenburgh Police were contacted and began an investigation in late July 2010 during which two other defendants were also arrested.
Keronde a/k/a Keronda Banks (DOB 11/09/77) of 102 Greenvale Circle, Greenburgh, New York and Crystal Kennie (DOB 01/27/79) of 128 Fair Street, White Plains, New York, both pled guilty to:
one count of Petit Larceny, a class “A” Misdemeanor,
and will be sentenced in Greenburgh Town Court on August 12, 2011.
Banks stole $4,122.42 and Kennie $3,841.26.
Both are former WestCOP employees who cashed paychecks and kept the proceeds.
Assistant District Attorney Gwendolyn Galef, Chief of the Economic Crimes Bureau, prosecuted the case.