Lower Merion school board member stole $50K from employer to fund vacations, pay for a bar mitzvah video, DA says
Jennifer Rivera's theft was discovered when a senior vice president at the marketing firm where she works discovered unusual purchases, prosecutors said Monday.
A member of the Lower Merion School District Board of Directors embezzled more than $50,000 from the marketing agency where she works, prosecutors said Monday, and spent the money on family vacations, clothing, and a videographer to film a friend’s son’s bar mitzvah.
Jennifer Rivera, 41, has been charged with theft, receiving stolen property, and related crimes in the theft from SMB Team, a Bala Cynwyd firm that helps lawyers advertise to prospective clients.
She was released on $25,000 unsecured bail. Rivera could not be reached for comment, and there was no indication she had hired an attorney.
Representatives of SMB did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Rivera used a company credit card issued to her to make the purchases, which began in October, when she had a dress and a bathroom organizer shipped to her home, according to the affidavit of probable cause for her arrest.
In a statement Monday, Lower Merion school board president Kerry Sautner emphasized that none of the criminal charges Rivera faces are related to the district or its finances.
“As of this time, I have not had an opportunity to discuss Ms. Rivera’s future on the School Board with her,” Sauter said. “While it is important to note that anyone charged with a crime remains innocent until proven guilty, we must also consider the potential impact of this situation on our Board.”
Rivera was elected to the school board in November, alongside Sauter, as part of the ElectLMSD Democratic slate.
Her theft from her employer was uncovered in May, when a senior vice president at SMB found that she had used the company card to pay a coworker nearly $1,400 through Venmo, the affidavit said.
When questioned, prosecutors said, she lied and said it was a business expense.
But her coworker, who owns a private videography business, told company officials the payment was for a “last-minute” bar mitzvah gig he agreed to do after the original videographer canceled. He said Rivera told him he had paid her from her personal account, but he realized afterward she had used company money.
He said he knew it was “shady” and was “not sure how she could be so blatantly untruthful,” according to the affidavit.
The coworker said Rivera also used the company card to fly him and his wife to another employee’s wedding, where he was hired to take photos. He said Rivera assured him she was allowed to use the company card for that, according to the affidavit.
After being presented with evidence about the bar mitzvah payment, Rivera said she may have used the wrong Venmo account by mistake. She “became distraught” and said the accusations put her in a “dark place,” the affidavit said.
Rivera was placed on administrative leave, but asked to be fired, saying “the waiting is adding stress,” the affidavit said.
As SMB continued to investigate, the company learned that Rivera had also spent more than $25,000 for airline travel and family vacations, according to the affidavit.
At the time of the investigation, Rivera had booked a forthcoming trip to the Bahamas that was worth more than $9,000 in credit card travel points.
Rivera is scheduled to appear before a district judge for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 2.
