East Meadow, NY - January 20, 2016 - Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a former acting treasurer of the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in East Meadow pleaded guilty today to stealing more than $35,000 between May 2014 and May 2015.
Ronald Ousman, 38, of Bayside, pleaded guilty before Nassau County District Court Judge Eric Bjorneby, to Petit Larceny (an A misdemeanor) and will make full restitution in the case. The defendant is due back in court on March 30 for sentencing. Ousman’s attorney is currently holding $20,000 in restitution money in escrow and any amount still due following the sentence will be paid through the Department of Probation. Additionally, the defendant is expected to receive three years of probation and 210 hours of community service.
“The defendant was given access to the church’s finances because he was a trusted member of the community, but he abused that trust and stole more than $35,000 from the congregation through a series of cash withdrawals that lasted almost a year,” DA Singas said. “Thankfully church officials noticed the discrepancies and contacted our office and we were able to get the money back for this faith community.”
DA Singas said that between May 16, 2014 and May 7, 2015, Ousman, while serving as acting church treasurer embezzled $35,608. The defendant made a series of cash withdrawals from the church’s checking and money market accounts.
The investigation began when church officials contacted the Internal Revenue Service to verify certain tax information. IRS employees informed church officials that certain payments were never received by the IRS. An investigation was opened by the DA’s office in May.
Assistant District Attorney Peter Mancuso of DA Singas’ Government and Consumer Frauds Bureau is prosecuting the case. Ousman is represented by Scott Limmer, Esq.