Denise Weber, 58, of Ewing was arrested recently on a theft charge and released on her own recognizance.
HAMILTON -- The president of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Colonial Volunteer Fire Co. in Hamilton has been charged with stealing $23,000 in bingo money from the organization, authorities said.
Denise Weber, 58, of Ewing was arrested recently on a theft charge and released on her own recognizance, police spokesman Detective Lt. Jeffrey Martin said.
Denise Weber The investigation began Dec. 7 when police received a tip that over $20,000 was missing from the ladies auxiliary bank account, Martin said.
Detective Mark Watson's investigation found numerous instances when money from ladies auxiliary bingo events were not deposited into the organization's account, totaling approximately $23,000.
Weber is a secretarial assistant in the admissions office at Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, where she has worked for 33 years.
College spokesman Joe Guzzardo said Weber is scheduled to retire on Jan. 1 and her last day is scheduled to be next week. He had no further information about the charge against her.
On her biography page on the college's website, she describes being a Colonial ladies auxiliary member for 17 years and running the bingo program. The biography says she began her third term as president of the organization in January 2013.:
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The fire company's website lists bingo nights as Sunday and Wednesdays at the firehouse on Kuser Road.
Sherri L. Bauerle, president of the Colonial Volunteer Fire Co., said the members and officers of the fire company are "shocked and dismayed" by the discovery of the missing cash form the ladies auxiliary account.
In a statement, Bauerle said she can assure bingo players that the alleged thefts did not impact or reduce game winnings. She said what was violated was the trust in making bank deposits, and a total of 21 cash deposits dating to 2014 were not made.
"This resulted in the inability of the auxiliary to support the general operation of the fire company, the acquisition of furniture, payment to scholarship asardees and other charitable contributions," the statement said.
In the past, the ladies auxiliary has purchased thermal imaging cameras, two vehicles and assisted with firehouse renovations, Bauerle's statement said.
The Ladies Auxiliary of the Colonial Volunteer Fire Co. is a separate nonprofit organization from the fire company, according to nonprofit registries. Its mission, documents say, is to raise funds for the Colonial Vol. Fire Co.
Listings show the organization's tax-exempt status was automatically revoked by the Internal Revenue Service in August for failing to file documents with the federal government for three straight years.
In 2011, the organization reported $180,692 in revenue, $166,891 in expenses and net assets of $113,739, public records show.
Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.
