Bway Fan Accused of Stealing Half a Million Dollars--And Spending Some on Theatre Tickets

According to Newsday, a woman faces charges for taking her love of luxury--and theatre--to an illegal extreme. Jennifer Smith, of North Bergen, N.J., has been accused of embezzling more than $450,000 and spending it on personal items--including theatre tickets.

Smith, who worked for Neema Clothing Ltd., allegedly embezzled funds from her company's credit card and launched an internet scam to steal even more money from Neema. According to Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, Smith "used the money, stolen over two years beginning in June 2003, to buy tickets to shows including the hit Wicked and to send flowers to actresses Kristin Chenoweth, Catherine Keener, Cherry Jones and others." Smith, who spent some of the money on such expenditures as a trip to Italy, dining in fancy restaurants, and shopping sprees at high-priced New York department stores, also gave some of the stolen money to charities; she donated to Broadway Cares, the Carnegie Hall Society and other arts organizations.

Smith--who was fired from Neema in June of 2005 for other reasons--has previously gotten in legal trouble. In 1993, she stole $3,700 from Urban Outfitters and in 1999, she was able to get away with $54,000 from FSX Entertainment; both times, she was released on probation. Her most recent fraud debacle became known when her former employer at Neema discovered that credit card statements were not consistent.

Morgenthau said that Smith was able to get away with the most recent fraud for so long because as the $65,000-a-year personal assistant to the owner of Neema, "she had access to company computers, credit cards and credit card statements. She was able to alter records and hide her transactions." With Neema's corporate credit cards, she embezzled $121,559, and took $330,227 by selling fake autographs through PayPal, transferring the money to her bank account.

Smith, who was extradited on Wednesday and whose attorney status is unknown, is expected to today be indicted on a charge of second-degree grand larceny, criminal possession of a forged instrument and falsifying business record. If convicted, she'll face up to 15 years in jail.