By Jacquie Rath
Rockville Centre PTA officers became suspicious about Handa's activities as treasurer when her two-year term ended and incoming officers discovered money missing from the PTA's bank account. When she was asked to provide them with bank records, Handa allegedly turned over incomplete records.
According to District Attorney Kathleen M. Rice, further investigation revealed that Handa, a mother of two, had created two checkbook registers, which contained conflicting information. The registers showed that approximately $20,000 was missing from the PTA's account.
According to Rice, the Rockville Centre School District hired an independent auditor to investigate the matter, and brought it to the D.A.'s office last October. After conducting their own investigation of the complaint, investigators from the D.A.'s office alleged that Handa failed to deposit money belonging to the PTA into its bank account and used the money herself.
"I have nothing but admiration for the PTA leadership," said Superintendent of Schools Dr. William Johnson. "They recognized the problem early on and brought the situation to the proper authorities. They acted exactly as we teach our children to act: When you're involved in a situation you can't handle on your own, you ask for help."
According to Johnson, there was no interruption of student activities as a result of the financial discrepancies.
"Ms. Handa is a solid member of the community," said Handa's attorney, Edward Mandery. "She voluntarily surrendered. We are trying to rectify the situation so everyone is happy. Ms. Handa had no formal training for the position; she is not an accountant."
According to Mandery, shortly after Handa became treasurer, she was faced with a personal crisis. A very close friend, who lived in Canada, was stricken with cancer. Handa made a number of trips to Canada to help care for her friend and her friend's four children. The friend eventually died, and her children moved in with another friend of Handa's in Canada - who, in a twist of fate, also fell ill and died, leaving Handa, according to Mandery, to care for the friend's children in Canada as well as her own two children in Rockville Centre.
"There has been a significant outpouring of support for her," said Mandery. "People have been showing up at her home with flowers. She really is a very nice person."
Handa was arraigned in First District Court on April 26 and released on her own recognizance. She was scheduled to appear in court again on Wednesday. According to a representative from Rice's office, Handa faces up to seven years in jail if found guilty of the charges.
