New York Business Manager Pockets $50K From Accounts

A former Westchester County-based finance manager has been charged with numerous felonies following fraudulent activities that resulted in $50,000 into her personal bank accounts.

The transactions spanned only six months, taking place between September 2022 and March 2023 in Westchester County.

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Former White Plains Finance Manager Pockets $50,000 in Account Funds

In a statement from Westchester County District Attorney Susan Cacace's Office, 52-year-old Michelle Rinaldo, of the Bronx, previously managed the books and payroll accounts for a construction firm in White Plains. Her employment with the firm ran from September 2022 until March 2023. According to felony complaints, during this time, Rinaldo 'issued 34 separate payments from the firm to two personal bank accounts.'

The complaint also alleged that after making each payment, Rinaldo would go into the back end of the construction firm's payroll system and change the listed payee name on the transactions. It was said that she would change the payee from her own name, to “US Treasury,” “United States Treasury” or “United S Treasury.”

The initial complaint alleged that the amount of money that was 'diverted into Rinaldo's personal accounts' in total was over $200,000, this according to the DA report.

Rinaldo Arraigned Following Fraudulent Finance Activity

Westchester County DA Cacace announced that Rinaldo was recently arraigned on the stolen funds and 'committed numerous other felonies.'

Reports go on to detail that in Westchester County Court on August 13th, Rinaldo was arraigned on one count of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, two counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree, one count of Identity Theft in the First Degree, three counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, and one count of Falsifying Business Records in the Second Degree.

Rinaldo reportedly pleaded not guilty to all charges. There is a conference scheduled for September 24th regarding the case, and in the meantime, the Judge released Rinaldo on her own recognizance, and none of the charges are bail-eligible.