PTO Treasurer Pleads Guilty in Theft of Nearly $200K from Elementary School
An Osseo woman accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Maple Grove elementary school is admitting to her crime.
Emily McMullin, 44, was charged with theft by swindle last September.
Her attorneys filed a petition to enter a guilty plea in court on Monday.
According to the criminal complaint, McMullin was the treasurer of the Elm Creek Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization from 2016 to 2023.
The PTO discovered in 2023 that its account was over drafted.
McMullin told the board she had been “borrowing” money to “keep afloat” at home, and she wanted to pay it back to “make it right.”
The PTO board then reported the incident to the police.
An investigation revealed that McMullin started stealing money from the PTO account less than two months after she was elected treasurer.
She used the PTO debit card to pay for childcare expenses, student loan payments, groceries, takeout food, bills and other personal expenses.
She also withdrew cash from the account through ATMs and wrote out checks, which she later deposited into her own account.
In total, she stole $188,419 from the PTO for personal use.
The court has scheduled her sentencing for July 24, 2025.
See also: Osseo Woman Charged with Stealing $188K from School PTO