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Former elementary school treasurer accused of embezzling more than $138K

A Carmichael woman was arrested for allegedly embezzling more than $138,000 from a Sacramento elementary school organization and a pair of little league clubs.

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A Carmichael woman was arrested for allegedly embezzling more than $138,000 from a Sacramento elementary school organization and a pair of little league clubs, according to Sacramento sheriff's officials.

Jennifer Haymart served as treasurer for Deterding Elementary School's Parent Teacher Organization, also called DREAM PTO. The money was discovered missing in October 2017, officials said.

An investigation into the PTO's bank account showed several unauthorized withdraws and checks written since November 2015. The Sacramento County Sheriff's Department say the money was used for Haymart's personal gain.

The amount taken from the PTO's bank account between November 2015 and October 2017 was approximately $85,000.

Laura Mchugh, the president of the PTO, said she noticed something wasn't adding up.

"It was a very small group of people that knew obviously my self and the board because as soon as I found out I had to let my board members know," Mchugh said.

Mchugh said $85,000 is pretty much their entire budget for the year. The money goes toward field trips and other classroom expenses. Last year they couldn't send kids to go to the B Street Theater.

Haymart also served as the treasurer for the Carmichael Little League. The sheriff's department says Haymart made several withdraws, wrote checks, and bought several items for herself using the little league's account.

"How the little league came to find out—as I went through the account, there were checks that were made out to Carmichael Little League," Mchugh said. "There was no reason for a school to be paying a little league. It was a red flag."

The sheriff's department also said Haymart forged several bank statements when confronted by the league's president on bank statements. The amount taken from the Carmichael Little League between July 2016 to November 2017 was approximately over $52,000.

The little league had to raise their fees by an additional $20 per child to make up for what was stolen.

They are also planning on fundraising more money.

Haymart was also involved with the Orangevale JAX Titans baseball team. The sheriff's department says Haymart paid herself out of the team's Paypal account and then created a fake invoice. The amount taken was more than $400.

The sheriff's department arrested Haymart on Tuesday for charges related to embezzlement, grand theft, forgery and unlawful use of personal identifying information and is being held in the Sacramento County Main Jail in lieu of $125,000 bail.

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