Manhattan D.A., NYS Comptroller Announce Indictments In Frauds Totaling Nearly $1 Million

John Jay Employee Allegedly Submitted Fraudulent Requests for $710k in Student Stipends

Duo, Including Harlem Children Zone Accountant, Allegedly Stole $288k from HCZ Charter Schools via Check Fraud

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., and New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli today announced two separate indictments alleging three individuals defrauded New York State of nearly $1 million. The Comptroller's Office referred both matters to the Manhattan D.A.'s Office.

CADELIE NEAT, 60, an Accounts Payable Manager at John Jay College of Criminal Justice ("John Jay") used her position to divert and steal approximately $710,000 by submitting fraudulent requests for stipend checks purportedly on behalf of students who were enrolled in the college's Academic Preparation Program for Law Enforcement ("APPLE Corps").

Separately, CHERYL CARR, 73, and ANDREA WILLIAMS, 47, allegedly stole $288,529 from the Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy Charter School ("HCZ") by incorporating a fraudulent, similarly named school in Idaho, and diverting and depositing two checks intended for the Manhattan-based non-profit.[1]

"When you defraud the State, you steal from all 20 million New Yorkers," said District Attorney Bragg. "Our investigations with the New York State Comptroller uncovered nearly $1 million of theft from the public fisc. The crimes alleged in both indictments targeted funds intended to support students, from grade schoolers to college students. I thank the Comptroller's Office for its partnership and commitment to rooting out fraud committed at the taxpayers' expense."

"These defendants engaged in elaborate schemes to allegedly divert taxpayer money from worthy programs into their own pockets," said State Comptroller DiNapoli. "I will continue to safeguard public funds and work with law enforcement across the state at every level to hold those who would defraud the taxpayers accountable. My thanks to District Attorney Bragg and his team for their continued partnership in fighting public fraud, bringing these crimes into the light and ensuring justice is served."

NEAT, in her role at John Jay, was tasked with submitting requests for stipend checks on behalf of students enrolled in APPLE Corps, which supports students exploring "public service, leadership, and justice & equity issues in policing and community relations in New York City." As alleged in court documents and statements made on the record, between December 2018 and April 2026, NEAT fraudulently obtained more than 260 stipend checks totaling approximately $710,000 by using the names of current and former students, as well as creating fictional students, to generate additional stipend requests. Most of the checks were mailed to her home before she deposited them into her personal bank accounts at automated teller machines in Manhattan. NEAT allegedly used the stolen money for personal expenses like travel, dining and home repairs.

In a separate case, as alleged in court documents and statements made on the record, CARR and WILLIAMS incorporated a fictional charter school named nearly identically to HCZ, "Harlem Children's Zone Promise Academy II Charter L.L.C.," in Idaho in September 2023. CARR opened a business savings and checking account in Idaho for the fraudulent school, and WILLIAMS, a former staff accountant for HCZ, emailed IRS forms pertaining to the fraudulent school from her HCZ work email address to her personal e-mail account. CARR then diverted and deposited two checks for $141,551 and $146,978 payable to two of HCZ's charter schools into the Idaho account.

The Manhattan D.A.'s Major Economic Crimes Bureau ("MECB") is handling the prosecution of these cases, including Assistant D.A.s Imran Ahmed (Senior Investigative Counsel), John Dunn, and Ishan Shivakumar under the supervision of Assistant D.A.s Christine Payne (Deputy Chief of MECB), Michael Ohm (Chief of MECB), and Judy Salwen (Deputy Chief of the Investigation Division), and Executive Assistant D.A. Jodie Kane (Chief of the Investigation Division). Senior Investigators Luis Sanchez, Ray Yuen, Brian Longaro, and Brian Granshaw; Lieutenant Ryan Lemon; Investigative Analysts Keren Applebaum, Shivam Saran, and Christina Rose; Paralegal Irene Jang and former Paralegal Victoria Trujillo Balderas assisted with the investigations.

State Comptroller DiNapoli's Division of Investigations, headed by Counsel to the Comptroller Nelson Sheingold and Assistant Comptroller Stacy Marano, led the investigation for his office with assistance from the Comptroller's Bureau of State Expenditures.

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[1] The charges contained in the indictments are merely allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.