Food Pantry’s Co-Director

Charged In Theft Of $18K

By LIBBY CUDMORE • The Freeman’s Journal & Hometown Oneonta

COOPERSTOWN – The smallest check was for $825.

The largest was for $4,997.90.

In all, Antoine Bourbon-Parme, 59, the former co-director of the Cooperstown Food Pantry, allegedly stole $18,579 from the organization’s accounts over 16 months, beginning in October 2017 and ending in late January.

According to the court documents filed in Otsego Town Court on Tuesday, April 2, Bourbon-Parme forged the names of Audrey Murray, retired director; Stacey Smith, director, and Sharon Oberriter, president, on eight checks, beginning in October 2017. The last check, dated Jan. 22, was for $1,852.38.

In reviewing the financial records, the three appeared on checks they did not write. Murray’s signature was on checks written Oct. 20, 2017, for $1,959.99, and March 27, 2018 for $1,572.

Smith’s signature was allegedly forged on checks dated Dec. 31 2018, Bourbon-Parme’s birthday, the first for $825 and the second for $1,925.

Two additional checks, one for $4,997.90 on Dec. 18, 2018, and the other for $2,303.65 on June 19, 2019, are also under investigation, but it is unknown at the this time whose signature was on those checks. Only Murray, Smith and Oberriter were authorized to write checks from the Cooperstown Food Pantry’s account at the Leatherstocking Federal Credit Union.

Sean Ralph, an investigator with the state Department of Financial Services, alleged in his statement filed in town court that Bourbon-Parme deposited the forged checks into his personal banking account. Bourbon-Parme also allegedly goes by the name Anthony Cazzari.

Along with Murray, Bourbon-Parmd served as the volunteer co-director until Smith was brought in as a paid executive director in December 2017

Charged with grand larceny in the third degree, the suspect was arraigned at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 2.  Town Justice Gary Kuch remanded him to the Otsego County Jail on $10,000 cash bail or $20,000 bond. His next appearance is 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 24.