PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A member of Lower Merion School District’s board of directors has been charged with theft. The accusations are unrelated to her duties on the school board, but claim she stole more than $50,000 from her former employer.
Jennifer Rivera, 41, is accused of charging personal expenses to her company-issued credit card as an executive assistant at the law firm marketing company SMB in Bala Cynwyd.
The affidavit of probable cause showed the questionable charges date to 2024 and include $25,000 in travel expenses for her, her family and friends, and more than $23,000 in personal expenses on Amazon, including clothing and bathroom accessories.
Charging documents state that when the company vice president of finance tried to look into Rivera’s Amazon expenses, she denied him access, saying it was the CEO’s personal account and no one was allowed to access it.
The alleged theft came to light when Rivera used her company card to Venmo $1,339 to a coworker for videography and photography of a Bar Mitzvah.
Rivera is in the first year of a four-year term. She was elected to the Lower Merion School Board in 2025.
School Board President Kerry Sautner noted that no charges allege wrongdoing in relation to the district or taxpayer funds. She has not had a chance to talk to Rivera about her future on the school board, noting a presumption of innocence but also the impact on the community.
