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Ex-museum official charged with embezzling over $1.3m

E-mail|Link|Comments () June 23, 2009 05:38 PM

By Globe Staff

The former chief financial officer of a small museum in the town of Harvard has been indicted for allegedly embezzling more than $1.3 million from the institution, the attorney general's office said today.

Peggy Kempton, 53, of Hollis, N.H., worked at the Fruitlands Museum, a small institution that focuses on the region's intellectual and artistic history.

She turned herself in to authorities after being indicted today by a Worcester grand jury on 14 counts of larceny over $250 by single scheme, three counts of fraudulent use of credit cards, and making false entries in corporate books.

Kempton worked as deputy executive director and chief financial officer at the museum from July 1997 through February 2008. Prosecutors allege that between January 2002 and February 2008, Kempton stole more than $1.3 million for purchases made by her and her children using 14 different credit cards.

Kempton also allegedly used "cash advance checks" from credit cards in the names of co-workers to pay for personal purchases, without her co-workers' knowledge. She also allegedly altered financial records to cover up her personal purchases.

Kempton pleaded not guilty today at her arraignment in Worcester Superior Court and was ordered held on $5,000 cash bail. She is due back in court July 22 for a pretrial conference.