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Lisa Moore, 48, of Dewey Beach, DE, was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison on charges of theft by deception, dealing in unlawful proceeds, forgery, tampering with public records, and related offenses.
She embezzled a total of $3,249,453 from the township between 2013 and 2019, according to the Chester County District Attorney's Office.
Moore, who was hired by the township in 1997 and became Township Manager in 2010, oversaw the township’s financial operations, including payroll and vendor payments.
In April 2019, a Kennett Township supervisor told local police that funds were being moved between township bank accounts and a personal Capital One bank account, authorities said.
The Capital One Fraud Department had notified the township of more than $750,000 in transfers between 2016 and 2019 in the form of mobile deposits and ACH deposits, the DA's office said. The deposits were all authorized by Moore.
Investigators learned that Moore had disbursed money to herself through payroll and retirement fund transfers, checks written to herself from the township, credit card payments, and township credit card charges, they said.
She used some of the funds to pay $1.8 million to credit cards, $115,625 to Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, and $97,503 to Quicken Mortgage, the DA's office said.
Moore also made more than $696,000 in charges to the township’s credit card for purchases at high-end retail outlets, women’s boutique outlets, jewelry outlets, travel, food, and gas, among other things, they added.
Disbursements were either omitted from or disguised in the Kennett Township accounting records.
“Lisa Moore’s systemic and calculated scheme was an egregious violation of the trust of the 8,000 citizens of Kennett Township. No one is above the law, especially public servants," DA Deb Ryan said.
"Her greed was a despicable betrayal – stealing millions of dollars from the pockets of her neighbors, co-workers, friends, and fellow community members – all to indulge in an absurdly extravagant lifestyle. Although the erosion of trust in local government can never be fully restored, we believe that this resolution serves the interests of justice.”
She was ordered to pay $3,249,453 in restitution, and she will not be permitted to hold a position of fiduciary responsibility with any government or non-profit organization.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Michelle Frei and Deputy District Attorney William Judge were the assigned prosecutors.
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