MANHATTAN – Prosecutors say a 34-year-old Upper East Side man is facing charges he stole more than $185,000 from the Parent-Teachers Association for his own child’s school in Lenox Hill— all to pay for luxury vacations and shopping sprees investigators say he charged on his credit card.
A grand jury has indicted Marc Haynes, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, which also uncovered that in addition to allegedly paying off his credit card bills with PTA funds, investigators say the former co-treasurer of the Parent-Teacher Association for East Side Elementary School— located on East 63rd Street between Third and Second Avenues— even used their money to pay off court-ordered restitution in a 2016 theft case involving a former employer.
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According to prosecutors, Haynes made seventeen unauthorized payments ranging from $2,389 to $32,000 to his personal credit card using one of the PTA’s accounts from October 2020 to July 2021. Prosecutors say Haynes used the money to pay off bills from high-end hotels and purchases at Fendi, Restoration Hardware and Pottery Barn.
The D.A.’s office says PS 267/East Side Elementary School PTA noticed the suspicious payments, which had no supporting documentation, last fall and confronted Haynes about it— instead of explaining, prosecutors say he resigned from his position as co-treasurer.
“Marc Haynes is accused of using his own child’s elementary school PTA to bankroll luxury vacations, shopping sprees and even to pay court-ordered restitution from a prior conviction for stealing from his former employer,” said District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
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“I thank the diligent PTA members who uncovered these thefts and reported them to my office. As we see far too often, no organization, even one dedicated to the children of our city, is immune to insider theft and fraud.”
Mr. Haynes faces one count Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a felony.
The 34 year old was arraigned Tuesday afternoon and pleaded not guilty, prosecutors told Upper East Site.
“We look forward to reviewing the evidence when it is made available and addressing the allegations both in court and with prosecutors,” said Jeremy Saland, Mr. Haynes attorney.
Upper East Site reached out to the PS 267 PTA but our request for comment has not been returned.
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