President of Organization Steals $23,000 in Bingo Money

Authorities arrested president Ladies Auxiliary of the Colonial Volunteer Fire Co. in Hamilton, NJ on charges of stealing $23,000 in bingo money from the organization.

A tip came into the police department when it was discovered $20,000 was missing from auxiliary bank account. The investigation began on December 7th when Detective Mark Watson uncovered on several occasions bingo money was not deposited adding up to $23,000.

According to police spokesman Detective Lt. Jeffrey Martin, Denise Weber, 58, of Ewing was charged with stealing then released on her own recognizance.

She worked for the past 33 years as a secretarial assistant in the admissions office at Thomas Edison State College in Trenton.

Joe Guzzardo a spokesperson for the college stated Weber is scheduled to retire on Jan. 1 with her last day to be sometime next week, offering no other information regarding the charges.

On the college’s website page bio, she describes herself as Colonial ladies’ auxiliary member for 17 years, running the bingo program. And also said it was her third term as president of the organization in January 2013.

Colonial Volunteer Fire Co. president Sherri L. Bauerle said the members and officers of the fire company are “shocked and dismayed” at the cash missing from ladies auxiliary account.

Bauerle said in a statement that bingo players can rest assured that the alleged thefts did not affect or reduce game winnings. However, she did say it violated the trust in making bank deposits. In all there was a total of 21 cash deposits dating back to 2014 that were not made.

“This resulted in the inability of the auxiliary to support the general operation of the fire company, the acquisition of furniture, payment to scholarship asardees and other charitable contributions,” the statement said.