The former bookkeeper of the nonprofit Delaware River Waterfront Corporation is federally charged with stealing more than $2.6 million by processing checks from the quasi-governmental entity to herself to pay for gambling and luxury vacations.
Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams on Tuesday announced the indictment of Angela DiPietro-Sabatine, from Pennsauken, New Jersey, on 10 counts of wire fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of bank fraud and aiding and abetting.
“The alleged conduct in this case shows a pattern of deception and dishonesty that went on for the better part of a decade,” Williams said in a news release.
Over a seven-year period, DiPietro-Sabatine used her role as account administrator for DRWC, which manages the Philadelphia waterfront along the Delaware River, to access DRWC's computerized accounting system, the federal indictment revealed. She would then "create false expense items for legitimate vendors of DRWC," change the payee to herself to pay for personal expenses and forge the authorized signatures on the check.
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"As alleged, DiPietro-Sabatine went to great lengths to hide her criminal conduct from her employer; our Office thanks DRWC for coming forward and cooperating fully with the investigation so we can hold this defendant responsible for her actions,” Williams said.
The DRWC has yet to respond to NBC10's request for comment.
If convicted, DiPietro-Sabatine faces at least a six-year mandatory sentence, up 230 years in prison and a $4.25 million fine, the U.S. attorney's office said. She would also face paying more than $2.6 million in restitution.
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It wasn't clear if DiPietro-Sabatine, who is now 57, has an attorney who could comment on her behalf.
