United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

WATERBURY WOMAN SENTENCED FOR STEALING AMERICORP FUNDS

Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BERNADETTE TEELE, age 35, of 80 Pine Street, Unit #2, Waterbury, Connecticut, was sentenced today by Senior United States Judge Peter C. Dorsey in New Haven to five years of probation. On November 14, 2003, TEELE pleaded guilty to theft of government property. As a result of her conviction, TEELE is also required to pay total restitution of approximately $20,000 to the federal and state governments.

According to documents filed in court and statements at the court hearing, between January 1999 and December 1999, TEELE was a member of the AmeriCorps program, a Corporation for National and Community Service federal program that provides Americans with a stipend and/or educational award in exchange for a period of community service that addresses unmet needs in education, public safety, human services, and the environment. During the period of TEELE'S membership, full-time participants were additionally entitled to childcare services through the Corporation if they met certain other eligibility requirements. When TEELE was an AmeriCorps member, she received benefits for her five children, but falsely certified that she received childcare from the providers she identified, keeping a large percentage of the reimbursed subsidies for herself. Additionally, TEELE falsely certified that she was not receiving childcare subsidies from any other source during the relevant time frame when, in fact, she was receiving childcare subsidies from a State of Connecticut Department of Social Services program. The total loss to the federal government was $10,589 and the total loss to the State of Connecticut was $9,390.

The case was investigated by Special Agents of the Corporation for National Service, Office of Inspector General in Washington, D.C., with the assistance of the State of Connecticut, Department of Social Services, Client Fraud Investigation Unit. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Deborah R. Slater.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov