Gambling Addict: Ex-principal charged with $87,000 theft

Ex-principal charged with $87,000 theft
By Joe McDonald (Staff Writer)


The former principal at McNichols Plaza Elementary School in South Scranton allegedly stole $87,000 to "fuel" a gambling addiction, officials said in court papers.

Jeffrey C. McCreary, 49, of 334 Bailey St., South Abington Twp., who allegedly stole the money from a principals' fund, was charged on Thursday and released on $10,000 unsecured bail following his arrest on theft by failure to make required disposition of funds.

Mr. McCreary allegedly pocketed more than $87,000 belonging to the Scranton Association of Administrators and Supervisors, which includes principals, administrators and other supervisory personnel, through unauthorized withdrawals from the account at the Penn East Federal Credit Union between June 2004 and July 2010, according to court papers.

About $20,000 a year was intended to flow into the fund through biweekly payroll deductions. It was designed to pay for end-of-school-year parties, holiday parties, retirement parties and flowers and condolences for members and their families, Lackawanna County Detective John Munley said in court papers.

Last summer, after a new slate of officers was elected to lead the organization, a review of the association's finances revealed there was far less cash on hand than had been anticipated, Detective Munley said.

As a result, an audit was ordered and Bonita & Rainey, a Scranton CPA firm, was hired. It revealed a series of cash withdrawals made by Mr. McCreary, Detective Munley said.

According to court papers, Mr. McCreary made at least 102 "unauthorized" cash withdrawals during the six years he had access to the account.

When he was confronted by members of the association, court papers state, Mr. McCreary admitted in an e-mail that he took the money "to fuel an ongoing addiction to gambling."

Mr. McCreary was treasurer of the association from 2004 through 2008 and had exclusive access to the bank account until July 2010, Detective Munley said.

The U.S. Secret Service initially investigated the case, but it was recently referred to the Lackawanna County district attorney's office. Mr. McCreary, who earned more than $86,000 a year as principal, resigned in the wake of the investigation. His preliminary hearing is scheduled Monday.