Former Kennett manager arrested for embezzlement

Addendum: See below

Former Kennett Township Manager Lisa Moore was arrested for embezzling more than $3 million from the township, according to a press release from the Chester County District Attorney’s office. The arrest follows months of investigation.

Lisa Moore

It was reported in April that the fraud department of Capital One — the township bank — “had found a number of suspicious transactions on township accounts.”

The district attorney’s office and a forensic accounting service began independent investigations.

Moore was placed on administrative leave in May and then dismissed from her job as manager. She had been a township employee for 20 years.

In the press release announcing the arrest, District Attorney Tom Hogan said, “This case is about greed. The defendant was well-compensated, with an annual salary of [more than] $100,000. But she decided to live the high life, funded by the taxpayers of Kennett Township. There is no excuse for such a blatant abuse of a position of trust.”

According to the release, Moore stole money intended for employee benefits, the police department, land preservation  and other township operations. She used the funds, the release  said, for “extravagant personal expenses.” Those expenses included trips to Europe as well as Gucci and Chanel clothes and jewelry.

The DA’s office said Moore stole $141,000 in 2012, but that escalated to more than $400,000 in 2018. She billed the township for hours she didn’t work, claiming she worked more than 3,000 hours per year. She also manipulated the Kennett’s retirement savings plan.

“Between 2014 and 2019, the defendant was entitled to $33,000 in payments for retirement savings. Instead,” the release said, “she directed over $945,000 to her E*Trade account.”

In total, the charges contend Moore bilked the township out of almost $3.3 million over a six-year period.

Addendum: Kennett Township supervisors will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. next Tuesday, Dec. 17, in the Red Clay Room in Kennett Square.

About Rich Schwartzman

Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.

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