Amber M. Wood, 39, faces multiple felonies for alleged embezzlement and cover-up
A legal secretary was charged with the theft of $265,000 from a guardianship set up at a studio in Schoharie County.
Aleksandar Radovanov – Fotolia
SCHENECTADY – State police have charged a secretary at a law firm in Schoharie County with embezzling $265,000 from a legal guardianship by depositing the money into her account and trying to cover it up.
Amber M. Wood, 39, of Schoharie, is charged with second-degree grand larceny, a felony that carries up to 15 years in state prison if convicted. she to seven years in prison, for the alleged thefts of her between November 2013 and June 2021, according to the Princetown State Police.
Police also charged Wood with several counts of second-degree forgery, forging business documents, and fourth-degree grand larceny, all felonies.
On October 6, the State Police received a complaint of money missing from a guardianship awarded to Daniel S. Ross, a solicitor at Ross Law Offices in Middleburgh.
State Police said an investigation revealed Wood stole money from the guardianship and deposited checks into his personal bank account. They said Wood altered company records so that false guardianship account information would be filed in Schoharie County Surrogate Court.
Wood, who turned herself in to police, was arraigned in Coblekill Town court and taken to the Schenectady County Jail pending charges in the same incident, state police said.
Robert Gavin covers state and federal courts, criminal justice matters and legal affairs for the Times Union. Contact him at [email protected].
