East Haven Resident Admits Stealing from Town's Board of Education Child Care Program

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that CATHERINE FINKLE, 58, of East Haven, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud related to her theft of more than $38,000 from East Haven’s Board of Education child care program.

Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the court proceeding before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill occurred via videoconference.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from January 2000 to November 2018, Finkle was the East Haven Board of Education Program Director for the School Age Child Care Program, commonly called the Little Jackets Program.  As the program director, Finkle had access to the Little Jacket Program’s bank accounts and received tuition payments on behalf of the program.  From January 2011 to November 2018, Finkle defrauded the East Haven Board of Education by taking more than $38,000 in tuition payments, in the form of money orders and cash, that had been made for students in the Little Jackets Program.  She then diverted the payments for her own benefit.

Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for May 6, 2021, at which time Finkle faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

Finkle also has agreed to pay restitution of $38,554.50.

Finkle is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.

This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.