Woman Charged With Theft and Embezzlement From Philadelphia Non-Profit Serving Children

Sonja McQuillar, 50, of New Castle, Delaware was charged today by Indictment with two counts of theft from a program that received federal funds and one count of making a material false statement, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger and Philadelphia Inspector General Amy Kurland.

McQuillar was the Director of Health and Information Management at Northern Children’s Services (NCS), a nonprofit organization that provides mental and behavioral health treatment services to children. One of her responsibilities at NCS was to verify the accuracy of consultants’ invoices and submit them for payment.

McQuillar allegedly caused to be prepared consulting invoices for relatives and personal friends who were never consultants for NCS, and for individuals who were consultants for NCS, but for work they did not perform.  According to the indictment, she then forged the names of the recipients to cash the checks.  Between roughly December 2002 and April 2014, McQuillar allegedly obtained approximately $607,067 from NCS through embezzlement and theft.

If convicted the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, three years’ supervised release and $300 special assessment.

 “Every nonprofit that receives taxpayer funding accepts a responsibility to give charitably with integrity. These funds were designated to help some of Philadelphia’s children who are most in need,” said Inspector General Amy L. Kurland. “I'm grateful for our federal law enforcement partners for their close cooperation in this investigation.”

The case was initiated by a tip to the Philadelphia Office of the Inspector General and was also investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Morgan.