You must be really proud of yourself!

Seems to be alot of embezzlement in Tewksbury....

Classy.

I do not understand how people can be so audacious as to think that they can embezzle and not get caught. This woman, obviously a parent of at least one special needs student, needs some significant punishment short of incarceration. I feel badly for the embarassment that this must bring on her family.

Makes me wonder if FOSEK funded her drinking habit 2 times a week or if they funded her recent trip to PA for a Discovery Toys summit?

Can someone explain why she gets charged with embezzlement and the recreation fiasco is considered something like larceny over/under $250? In both cases they were people who had access to non-profit funds. I am wondering if the rec people are facing lesser charges than this P.O.S. and was wondering why.

Good point Brenda...makes you wonder how many people she bought drinks for on her weekly binges at the Skybox and TJ Callahans with FOSEK money! She NEVER should have been given that position nor access to the money that came in from the hard working parents of these kids...she is a disgrace! I hope that she gets more than a slap on the wrist and that new blood takes over at FOSEK...because obviously Messina cannot make good decisions! Heres hoping the fiasco gets cleaned up and the kids have a program to still participate in!

Here is the simple solution that all of these little non profits should use. One person can sign the checks. Someone else reconciles the cash account and reviews the expenses. If they collude, then that is hard to find, but at least you have two people involved and one will likely put a stop to it. How these programs can give all cash access to one person that also balances the checkbook and prepares the statement of operations is just silly.

This makes me sick! My son has participated in FOSEK sports, and maybe we have had "financial difficulties in our lives" too, but we scraped up the money so he could play. And she has stolen this money? It really makes you lose faith when people are putting up a front of helping your kids, but they are really stabbing you in the back.

Let's not paint with too broad a brush here. This is an individual case. FOSEK has done a lot of excellent work for the children of Tewksbury. Let's see how this all plays out.

One thing that struck me, is that when another former Tewksbury resident was uncovered as a scam artist, She was heard bad mouthing him & how wrong he was for doing what he did.

I once replied to an ad for childcare and it was her mothers business, in the house she lives. Does this girl not have smarts enough to realize that she WAS going to get caught eventually and that it would be humiliating to her children, who probably already deal with enough, being special needs. Not to mention it could ruin her mothers business, that probably supports her & her kids, when she doesn't have access to other people's money?!?!

We all fall on hard times but boasting your image by constantly playing mom of the year & then stealing from the organization that helps your own children is awfully disgraceful.

She was always good for spewing her opinions about others...all the while claiming to be such a good person. Well...the cat is out of the bag...she is a total hypocrite and a con artist too! What goes around comes around. The phony has been found out... I feel bad for her poor mother and her 2 boys.

getfacts - the article states she admitted to being a scumbag. Perhaps YOU should read the article prior to hopping on a soap box.

getfacts- clerical error? mistake? Are you serious? She admitted to being a thief and stealing money from special needs children. Sounds like you are a friend of the criminal herself who still believes all the lies she has tried to deceive people with. Or maybe she was using the stolen money to buy you drinks,,or shop at WalMart..or Market Basket...or Pizzeria Regina.....seriously you need to read the article and wake up..she is what she always has been..a thief and a liar! A mistake happens once or twice not continuously over 3 years...will you admit the truth when she is convicted...I doubt it!

Getfacts - FACT: The accused, admitted what she did to me, when she called me on Thursday morning for a ride to court. Of course, I told her NO WAY, nor will I associate with her any longer. I agree with Karma and Bullsh*t that she is a nothing but a hypocritical liar and uses everyone to see what she can get. She has no problem talking about other people and their wrong doing and would be the first at a public stoning. However, lets stay on track here. She did irreparible damage to her family, job and FOSEK and the FOSEK parents and children. She disgraced her friends and especially her best friend who happens to be in law enforcement. Thats a stellar human being for you. So, you see, Catherine...oops I mean getfacts, we are not judging. That job is left for the ultimate judge, jury and executioner, in my faith we call him GOD.

Well said Brenda....I had a sneaky suspicion that getfacts was a friend of the swindler. I too was an acquaintance of the embezzler many years ago until I saw her for who she really was. The way she used and abused people, especially men, for her personnel gain was a game changer for me. I only hope her 2 boys and her Mom, who has "supported" her forever(financially and putting a roof over her head) can get over this and not have to hang their heads in shame for the embarrassment of being related to her.

wow, a harsh crowd. The article only said she admitted to the car payment and to the auto shop to pay for the work done. How do we know she didn't get prior approval on these things as long as she would pain them back? How about instead of calling her all these names we take a step back and consider her boys. Anyone with a heart would be praying for them, can you imagine what they must be going through, as well as her mother? I know she made wrong choices and I don't think it's ok that she took from other kids as well as her own, but lets be human and be considerate of the kids, they do have access to this site and can see all that is written about their mother. Again, it's not fair to all that she took away from and lied to alot of people, but lets put that aside for her 76 year old mother, and her two boys that are only 12 and 14 or 15, the toughest ages anyway, not including the way other kids are treating them because of something their mother did. Before we condem her, lets get all the facts, and if you were ever a "true" friend, you would still be there for her...even if you don't approve of what she did. To turn your back so quickly on a so called friend means you were never her friend in the first place.

There is no doubt that she is a good mom and always there for her kids, I've seen first hand. All the times she went out boozing and partying and telling people how great things are in her life. face it, she is a liar and deserves what she gets, more than likely it's just going to be probation and is going to owe money back to FOSEK. I honestly hope they slap her wrist hard.

Then she should have thought about it. LaSwindler has to look into her boys eyes everyday.

Dear No One,
How can you gauge a TRUE friend? Have true friends stolen from your or your children? Have true friends taken money from children with special educational needs to go and party with that money? Give me a break!

In retrospect, I should have seen her for what she really is: A whiner, I liar, a person with an alcohol issue and a thief. There you have it!

She is one of those very same people that she used to denounce all the time, Yep, I know personally...she always had things to say about people battling a vice. She is no better. Personally, I will be there on Jaunary 11, at her court date and every other court date. Hoping and praying that the judges makes her accountable and decides to take a stand and use her as a model for future swindlers. In other words, I hope she gets some jail time.

Dear No One,
How can you gauge a TRUE friend? Have true friends stolen from your or your children? Have true friends taken money from children with special educational needs to go and party with that money? Give me a break!

In retrospect, I should have seen her for what she really is: A whiner, I liar, a person with an alcohol issue and a thief. There you have it!

She is one of those very same people that she used to denounce all the time, Yep, I know personally...she always had things to say about people battling a vice. She is no better. Personally, I will be there on Jaunary 11, at her court date and every other court date. Hoping and praying that the judges makes her accountable and decides to take a stand and use her as a model for future swindlers. In other words, I hope she gets some jail time.

Wow, talk about airing dirty laundry in a public forum for the whole world to see. I sure am glad that I am not affiliated with or know any of the stone throwers based upon the nasty comments being displayed here. and NO, I do not know or have ever met the accused. I pray nothing like this ever happens to you or anyone in your family, cause you know the old saying......"Karma's a bitch"

OK guys, easy does it please. This is a volatile, emotional issue. And there are LOTS of kids involved in one way or another. Lets set a good example and try to keep the personal attacks out of this.

let'skeep in mind it's the children and families involved in the programs that are paying the ultimate price. The volunteers stand by their players, parents, volunteers, andpresent board members. Its about the children and nothing else.

Oh Bill, it is not a personal attack... Just what Karma and I know first hand about the accused. Geo, yes the kids have suffered at someones underhandedness and dishonesty. I think what Karma and I are getting at that not all of you understand is that we saw how she spent money like water on fun and conveniences and it is completely disgusting.
So, instead of accusing us of personal attacks, try to understand that we were duped to on a very personal level.

Ok Brenda, I think we get it by now. No need to go on and on and on about the samething over and over and over again.....enough already!

so stop reading Honest Joe and move on to comment about some other article. When you see someone spend recklessly...talk crap about everyone like she is untouchable, and act like she is the best Mom in the world....and then it all crashes down because she is a fraud then you better believe I am going to say something! I , and people I know, were attacked by this vile thing and glad it came back to get her!

ok Karma, keep on repeating yourself if it makes you feel better!

ok Honest Joe....you can stop reading the truth and the facts about her and move on. I will be interested to see what you have to say when she is convicted or cops a plea! I will be waiting patiently.

I could really care less about her Karma. Like I said I don't know the accused, and am not affiliated with any of you! I'm just tired of reading all of this dirtly laundry that is being displayed because it is inappropriate for this forum. I am also thinking of the innocent victims, among them her family.

then stop reading it.....you seem to be VERY interested in the whole sordid affair...its the thief who should have thought of the innocent victims...don't you think?

Karma, you know what? People are not interested in the truth. It's sort of funny. Everyone has an opinion..but when there are others that know truth about a particular situation (like you and I do), people dont want to hear it because they cannot add to it.
I will speak for myself here. I am entitled to my opinion and yes, I have knowlege of what actually occured in this situation I know how she led her life. I am sure if Honest Joe, or Bill Gilman or any of the other people knew the accused first hand and how she is, we would not be facing such opposition.
Where I do agree that there are innocent victims, the accused should have thought about the fallout should she get caught.

Thanks Honest Joe ... these girls are just inconsiderate garbage. They just wanna hear themselves over and over repleating their vulgar words. Your comment about being a true friend was very nice and totally true. They keep saying things about her poor children and poor mother yet they are showing by these public comments and name calling they dont care about the hurt they cause. People make mistakes all the time and many have skeletons ... and the way they are talking about karma....the actions and horrible words these so called humans are using may just come back around to take a bite out of their buttocks lol ... They need to leave this girls family alone and stop bashing her so the family can see. They are causing the hurt there and it is wrong. But it sounds to me like they have their heads way too far up their butts to care or notice what they are doing wrong. Two wrongs dont make a right. Thanks for speaking up so elegantly.

Getfacts, no kuddo's to me regarding a true friend, that was "someone else" that said that. But thanks for the kind words. Let's just hope this doesn't spark it up all over again.

When have we stopped holding our friends accountable to be better people? Those who continue to defend Lashanta just feed into her bad behavior and watch her continue to spiral downward. Those who challenge her to be a better person are her true friends. She has stolen money from a charity, had several cars repossesed, has lived off her elderly mother (at 34 years old!), all while spending money recklessley drinking a couple nights per week. Buying drinks for "friends" when you fail to meet your obligations? Drinking a couple nights per week when your young children are home? Cannot keep a job due to this behavior? Blames everyone else whenever she has a problem that she created? Where is the accountability?

If you were true friends you would challenge her to be better than she is. If you are fake friends (probably getting free drinks) you will continue to encourage her to spiral down the road she is going down.

Do you "friends" believe in her? Do you think she can be better or do you think this pathetic life is the best she can do?

Deep down she is not a bad person. She can get her life together if she takes accountability for her actions and begins to act as a responsible adult. She need to stop claiming to be a victim and take responsibility for her actions I believe in her and will hold her to a higher standard.

Well folks, tomorrow is the big day, let's just see what happens. Jail or probation? bet's anyone?

Shawtek, you are right. Her life is a mess. Just google her name and check her out on Facebook. Anyone spending that much time on a computerand out partying has no time for her kids. Most people move on after graduating from high school. Not much has changed in HER life since that time. I feel bad for her kids and whoever gave her the money to pay back FOSEK. God knows they'll never see a penny of it again and she'll be out drinking this weekend laughing at the poor sucker.

Going Nowhere, you are also right. It is absolutely amazing that a 34 year old "grown " woman continues to act like a 17 year old high school student. You can see her work record online - She cannot hold a job! She puts her life information online for everyone to see (and it really is pathetic). I would be absolutely embarrassed if I were her. I would stop drinking and partying, get a job, teach my kids how to be good adults, and stop living off of the hard work of others. Is that too much to ask?

THE TRIAL DATE HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL FEBRUARY 13, 2013 IN LOWELL DISTRICT COURT.

Too bad no money has been returned to FOSEK.
Dispite whar she did, the kids are still getting their programs.
thank you, Vini,
Den. and Ben for your continued dedication to the children and FOSEK.
I'm glad someine is looking out for the kids and not the publicity or fame.

Geo,
Now that FOSEK has dissolved..how are the kids still getting the programs they are enrolled in?

Hold the phone! Does this mean she's going to get off without some type of restitution????? When did FOSEK dissolve???? $5,000 is alot of money to just let someone walk away with....