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Jennifer Starkweather-Murphy, a former member of the Ladd Lane Parent Club, has been charged with embezzling approximately $73,000 from the nonprofit organization since 2021. If convicted Starkweather-Murphy faces up to three years in prison, according to court documents.
San Benito County Sheriff’s Detective Jeremy Cedeno said his office was alerted of the possible embezzlement scheme on Aug. 5, 2024 and arrested Starkweather-Murphy on Oct. 1.
Cedano said Starkweather-Murphy allegedly wrote “numerous” checks from the nonprofit to herself with amounts “varying all over the place.”
He said it is unknown what the funds were used for as she declined to provide a statement.
Ladd Lane Parent Club, which raises money for student activities, has not responded to BenitoLink’s request for comment. BenitoLink also requested copies of their most recent tax forms on Feb. 4. Those documents have not been received as of Feb. 26.
From 2011 to 2016, according to its last available tax forms, the club reported between $21,576 and $86,805 in revenue.
Hollister School District Interim Superintendent Kip Ward confirmed with BenitoLink that Starkweather-Murphy had been associated with the club, which Ward described as “an entity separate from the district that supports student activities at Ladd Lane Elementary School.”
BenitoLink asked Ward if parent clubs donate directly to the district and if the donations require board approval. He said he could not answer further questions on the advice of the district’s legal counsel because it was an ongoing criminal matter.
Hollister School District later released a statement saying it is conducting its own internal review of the club’s practices and “overseeing all monies received by the club this school year.”
Starkweather-Murphy is scheduled to appear in court on April 10.
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