Washington Parent-Teacher Association fears theft bigger than first thought

Members of the Parent-Teacher Student Association here say a former volunteer already accused of stealing thousands of dollars from the organization may have stolen much more than first thought.

"We went down to the bank and we were shocked to see that what we thought was in the bank was not," said Angie Lampkin, co-president of the PTSA.
In November the group discovered more than $58,000 missing from their accounts. Now the group says it looks like thousands of dollars more are gone.
And they learned the embezzlement has been going on much longer than they initially suspected.
In a letter, the PTSA's former treasurer, David Glass, apologized and said he acted out of "sheer personal desperation."
Parents say he used the money to bail out his personal business.
The PTSA board felt was willing to forgive and reconcile with him.
But now they claim records show money missing from as far back as August, 2008 -- almost a full year before Glass claimed he hit rock bottom.
And the PTSA says this wasn't just money taken from bank accounts. In some cases, they say, money was taken directly from school fundraisers, like the time students made several thousand dollars selling cupcakes. That money was taken right out of the till and never deposited.
"I'm angry," said PTSA co-president Anne Medzegian. "I am angry that it's been a lot of work for us to pick up the pieces, and he has not been forthcoming with a lot of the information."
Medzegian and Lampkin said Glass has repaid $45,000. But now they say even if he pays all of it back, they still want him arrested.
Clyde Hill police are investigating the allegations.


The PTSA says they have enough money in the bank to continue programs and grants at the school.



They say they've already taken steps to make sure it doesn't happen again.