Valerie Tebbetts pleads guilty

Former AIDS group official pleads guilty to embezzling more than $100K
By Amanda Cedrone, Globe Correspondent


The former executive director of a Boston area nonprofit organization for individuals living with HIV/AIDS pleaded guilty today to charges of embezzling more than $100,000 from the organization due to a gambling problem.

Valerie Tebbetts pleaded guilty in Suffolk Superior Court to three counts of larceny, and one count of making false entries in corporate books during the time she worked at the Boston Living Center.

She was sentenced to five years of probation. During that time, she is expected to attend Gamblers Anonymous meetings, pay $123,500 in restitution funds to the center, and stay away from casinos and Massachusetts lottery games.

Tibbits admitted that she made cash withdrawals of more than $100,000 and also wrote checks to herself, and checks to her landlord.

Board member and client of the Boston Living Center Scott Galinsky said Tebbetts’s actions have imposed great hardship on the organization.

“She has caused tremendous pain,” he said.



Valerie Tebbets indicted
by Hannah Clay Wareham
Associate Editor

The former director of the Boston Living Center, a nonprofit organization offering support and service for those living with HIV/AIDS, was indicted Thursday, June 16 for allegedly stealing more than $126,000 from the organization.

Valerie Tebbetts, 54, was indicted by a Supreme Court jury on three counts of larceny by embezzlement over $250 and false entries in corporate books, Attorney General Martha Coakley’s office said.

Tebbetts served as Executive Director of the BLC from September 2008 to November 2010. She was terminated from the position after BLC board members found she’d allegedly been making withdrawals from the organization’s savings account.

Investigators also found that Tebbetts had allegedly written company checks to her landlord to pay for rent, and had also made checks out to herself for cash.

Tebbetts is scheduled to be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court on July 8.

Ex-AIDS charity director indicted for allegedly embezzling $126G
By Jerry Kronenberg
Friday, June 17, 2011

The former head of a Boston charity that provides nearly 1,400 AIDS patients with meals and other help allegedly embezzled more than $100,000 from the group over a two-year period, authorities say.

Attorney General Martha Coakley today announced a Suffolk County grand-jury indictment against ex-Boston Living Center chief Valerie Tebbetts on three counts of embezzlement and one charge of making false entries in corporate books.

“This has been just a real level of betrayal ... and just (a) shock,” said Sara Andrews, who heads the Living Center’s unpaid board. “Taking this money in effect is taking funds from people who are some of (society’s) most vulnerable people.”

The former head of a Boston charity that provides nearly 1,400 AIDS patients with meals and other help allegedly embezzled more than $100,000 from the group over a two-year period, authorities say.

Attorney General Martha Coakley today announced a Suffolk County grand-jury indictment against ex-Boston Living Center chief Valerie Tebbetts on three counts of embezzlement and one charge of making false entries in corporate books.

“This has been just a real level of betrayal ... and just (a) shock,” said Sara Andrews, who heads the Living Center’s unpaid board. “Taking this money in effect is taking funds from people who are some of (society’s) most vulnerable people.”

And although the Living Center receives some $500,000 a year in federal funds, an internal audit and independent reviews by the state Department of Public Health and Boston Public Health Commission found no government money missing. Instead, the funds Tebbetts allegedly stole primarily came from a $500,000 donation the group received several years ago.

Andrews said that while Tebbetts’ alleged actions have taken a big bite out of the Living Center’s $1.8 million annual budget, the charity has soldiered on without cutting services, salaries or staff.

“We’re still here,” she said. “We may be a little wounded, but the doors are open (and) not one staff member has left. It’s almost been the feeling of: ‘You’re not going to let one bad apple ruin the bunch.’ ”





Boston Living Center names Tebbets new Executive Director

The Boston Living Center (BLC) named Valerie Tebbetts its new Executive Director effective as of last month. Tebbetts had served as the Interim Executive Director since September 2008, when the previous Executive Director stepped down from the post. Due to Tebbetts’ background in financial management and willingness to step up and oversee a successful Thanksgiving Dinner for more than 600 BLC members and guests this past year, the board decided to name her the permanent Executive Director.

Tebbetts’ nonprofit career began in 1990 when she worked for the APT Foundation in New Haven, Connecticut, a foundation focused on providing treatment to individuals with substance abuse problems. In 2000, Tebbetts moved to Boston and became the Director of Operations for the BLC until 2004. After a stint as the CFO at a small start-up computer software reseller, Tebbetts returned to the BLC in 2006 as Director of Finance Administration.

Tebbetts said the biggest challenges of her new position are related to the current economic recession. She said she will use her financial background to come up with creative ways to provide the same services to members and save the organization money.

"It’s really an opportunity to come up with new solutions that are better for everyone," she said. "It’s really challenging and I appreciate the opportunity."

Tebbetts said as executive director she will focus on improving the quality of services provided by the BLC.

"I just want to make it better," she explained.

Tebbetts said she enjoys working at the BLC because of its unique focus on community and individuals.

"I think it’s really incredible and needs to be sustained," she said. "People are getting the support they need when faced with a chronic illness."

The BLC is a nonprofit community and resource center for HIV-positive people. The organization provides services to more than 1,500 members, including yoga and art classes and a full meals program that serves 40,000 meals a year. All services are free to members.