A FORMER FINANCE DIRECTOR FOR A NOT FOR PROFIT SERVICE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN CHARGED WITH STEALING MORE THAN $100,000 FROM THE GROUP WHICH ASSISTS AIDS PATIENTS AND THE HOMELESS

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that a Bronx man whose job had been to “keep the books” for a not for profit service organization, has been charged with stealing more than $100,000 from the group.

Peter Miranda, 37, a former bookkeeper for Unique People Services, along with an acquaintance, Raymond Jiminez, 57, have been charged with multiple counts of Grand Larceny in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th degrees, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th degrees, Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the 2nd degree and Falsifying Business Records in the 1st degree.

Unique People Services located at 4234 Vireo Avenue, the Bronx, provides a range of services for clients who are either homeless or suffering from AIDS.

It is alleged that Miranda, of 2141 Starling Avenue, the Bronx, and Jiminez, of 137 Van Cortlandt Avenue, Yonkers, “acting in concert,” stole more than $105,000 from United People Services between January 18, 2001 and September 12, 2003. Both defendants are facing a maximum sentence of up to 15 years imprisonment if convicted of the most serious charge of Grand Larceny in the 2nd degree, a Class C felony offense.

Miranda, according to court papers, generated fraudulent checks drawn on an agency bank account on 98 separate occasions over a period of nearly three years. The checks ranging in amounts of between approximately $800 and $1000 were made payable to either Miranda, Jiminez or a third suspect who has not yet been charged. Most of the checks were cashed at a check cashing business on Metropolitan Avenue. It is alleged that Miranda destroyed the cancelled checks when he received the agency’s monthly bank statements and changed the name of the payee in the agency’s computer to make it appear as though the payments were made to clients or vendors. Miranda was fired when the scam came to light during an internal audit. Information from the audit was referred to the Bronx District Attorney’s Investigations Division.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Bert Oberlander of the Arson/ Auto/Economic Crime Bureau.