$85,000 Embezzled by Non-Profit's Ex-Treasurer, DA Says

The following press release was supplied by the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office:

A former treasurer of the Lehigh Valley Kashrut Commission has been charged with theft and other offenses for writing checks from the Commission’s bank account to himself and family members for personal expenses.

Gerald Spiegelman, 46, of 931 N. Berks St., Allentown, was charged on Friday, Jan. 25, 2013, with theft by deception and receiving stolen property, felonies of the third degree, and forgery, which is graded as a felony.

According to an affidavit of probable cause filed by Allentown police: 

On Dec. 18, 2012, an Allentown police officer interviewed the current treasurer of the Lehigh Valley Kashrut Commission (LVKC), which is located at 2715 W. Tilghman St., Allentown, about missing funds.  Police reviewed financial records that were provided by LVKC.

Police allege that former treasurer Gerald Spiegelman had written numerous checks for cash, totaling $25,211, between October 2003 and July 2011 from a Hebrew Family League (HFL)/LVKC account at Lafayette Ambassador Bank.

Police also determined that unauthorized cash withdrawals totaling $2,775 had been made from the LVKC account at the bank from May 2011 to May 2012.

Between December 2002 and February 2012, numerous checks of HFL/LVKC on the account at the bank had been written out to “Gerald Spiegelman,” “G. Spiegelman” and “Spiegelman.”

The checks totaled $42,686.

Police allege that Spiegelman also wrote out numerous HFL/LVKC checks on the account to family members. Those checks totaled $5,200.

Spiegelman allegedly forged the signature of another former treasurer when he wrote out one check for $500 to himself.

Spiegelman also allegedly wrote $9,200 in LVKC checks for personal bills to Providian Card, Verizon Wireless, HSBC Card Services, Citicorp Credit Services, RCN Telecom, T-Mobile, Exxon/Mobil.

Police said that bank fees for overdrafts on the LVKC account totaled $352.

As in every criminal case, the fact that an arrest has occurred or a complaint has been filed is merely an accusation; and the defendant, Gerald Spiegelman, is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

According to its website, Lehigh Valley Kashrut Commission's mission is to certify Kosher businesses in the Lehigh Valley and to promote Kosher- observance in the Jewish community.