Former treasurer and her husband charged with stealing from Goshen humane society

Goshen —Two people have been arrested for stealing from the Goshen Humane Society. The former treasurer, Terry L. Skutnik, 55, of 71 Jessup Switch Road in Goshen, was arrested on Monday, March 3, after surrendering to Goshen Town Police. Her husband, Benjamin F. Skutnik, 55, of the same address, was charged Feb. 12, according to Goshen Town Police Chief Dennis D. Marsh. Terry Skutnik’s arrested on Monday culminated a month-long investigation by Goshen Town Police into the theft of several thousand dollars in cash from the humane society. Police said the larceny was uncovered as a result of a routine financial audit conducted by Rick Bossley, the humane society’s president. The investigation determined that the missing money was mostly in the form of cash donations and contributions made to the animal shelter. As a result of the investigation, the two were charged with third-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree grand larcen, first-degree scheme to defraud and falsifying business records. Both defendants were released on court-ordered bail to await action by the Orange County Grand Jury. President sees discrepancies Bossley said Terry Skutnik had gone to Virginia at around Christmas time to visit her sister, expecting to return at the end of February. She left the humane society checkbook with Bossley’s wife, Susan Bossley, the vice-president of the organization. She noticed that the payroll had gone over and alerted Rick. “It was easy to see the red flags,” Susan said. When Rick went to Provident Bank, where the humane society has its account, and got copies of all checks and deposits, he saw discrepancies. He said he went immediately to the police. Rick said Terry Skutnik made regular deposits for the humane society, picking up checks and cash once every two weeks. Sometimes her husband would pick up the deposits for her, he said. Another alarm went off when Rick got a call from Skutnik while she was in Virginia. She wanted to know why the humane society’s debit card, which Rick had cancelled, did not work. She told him she wanted to pick up some things for the animals while she was down south, Rick said. The debit card had already been used for non-humane society purposes, he said. In one example, Terry Skutnik used the card to buy fancy Christmas cards with “collector’s tins,” which she sent to members of the humane society, Rick said. In another example, she bought fleece from JoAnn Fabrics with the debit card. When questioned, she said the fleece was for the society’s annual “Pet Photos with Santa” fund raiser. Truckloads of food missing The Skutniks also took food intended for the humane society, according to the Bossleys. Anne Offentjuk, manager of Northern Bear Pet Food and Supplies in the Village of Florida, said the Skutniks would come to the store to retrieve truckloads of pet food she believed were intended for Goshen’s animal shelter. About once a month since last summer, Ben Skutnik would back his pick-up truck to the store for loading — a task he did not help with, she said. The store gave 30 to 60 boxes of close-to-date food and samples each time, she said. The donations came after the store’s owner reached out to the Goshen Humane Society to see if it wanted the food, Offentjuk said. Northern Bear even gave the Skutniks the contents of its collection bag at the store, where customers would drop in donations of food items for shelter animals. Offentjuk said she first discovered something was wrong when she asked the Goshen Humane Society to neuter and spay some stray cats who hung around near the store. Susan Bossley said he asked Terry Skutnik if Northern Bear had ever done anything for the humane society. Skutnik told her no, so she refused the service. Northern Bear objected — that’s when the Bossleys found out how much the store had been donating all along. Rick was “absolutely appalled” when he found out, Offentjuk said. No one knows where the food is. “I’d hate to think that even one animal who needed food went without,” Offentjuk said. Northern Bear will continue to donate food to the humane society — but will drop it off directly at the animal shelter on Maple Drive when the shelter manager is present. “Our responsibility to take care of the animals,” Offentjuk said. “They depend on us. And it just makes you feel good.”