A Pennsylvania school board member is accused of stealing more than $50,000 from her job to fund a lavish Bahamas vacation and a Bar Mitzvah, according to prosecutors. 

Jennifer Rivera, 41, has been arrested and charged with multiple theft-related felonies after SMB, a law firm marketing agency, uncovered that she was taking money from them in June, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office said on Monday. 

Rivera, of Bala Cynwyd in northwest Philadelphia, was reported to police after the company’s CEO and senior finance director said an internal financial review found that she had used the company-issued credit card for personal expenses since September 2024, according to officials. 

Detectives then conducted their own review of the company’s financial records, interviewed Rivera’s coworkers and discovered the full extent of her alleged illegal spending. 

She spent over $25,000 on vacation with her family and friends, another $1,339 on a videography and photography business for her friend’s son’s Bar Mitzvah, and a whopping $25,596.68 on Amazon, prosecutors said. 

Rivera, a member of the Lower Merion School District Board of Directors, purchased clothing, bathroom accessories and other personal items from the online retailer through the company’s business account, the report stated.

She also booked a future trip to the Bahamas using more than $9,000 in the company’s American Express points. 

In total, she allegedly snatched $50,243.31 from the company and used that money ‘for personal gain,’ prosecutors stated. 

Jennifer Rivera, a member of the Lower Merion School District Board of Directors, was arrested and charged with multiple theft-related felonies after SMB, a law firm marketing agency, uncovered that she was taking money from them in June

Rivera has been charged with four counts of theft by deception, receiving stolen property, and access device fraud. They are all third-degree felonies

The alleged theft from her job was first uncovered in May after she used SMB’s company card to pay a coworker around $1,4000 on Venmo, according to an affidavit reviewed by The Philadelphia Inquirer.  

When prosecutors asked her about the charge, Rivera said it was a business expense, but her colleague shared a different story. 

Rivera’s coworker, who owns a videography business, told officials at the company that the transaction was for a ‘last-minute’ Bar Mitzvah event. 

According to the unnamed coworker, Rivera told him that she had paid him from her personal account, but he later realized she used the company’s money to pay him, the outlet reported. 

The man said that what Rivera allegedly did was ‘shady’ and that he was ‘not sure how she could be so blatantly untruthful,’ the affidavit detailed. 

That same employee told prosecutors that Rivera used that same card to fly him and his wife to another coworker’s wedding, an event he was also hired to take photos at, per the affidavit. 

When questioned about her use of the card, Rivera told her coworker she was allowed to do so, he said. 

Rivera told prosecutors that she used the wrong Venmo account by mistake, even after they informed her of the evidence they collected, the affidavit said. 

Rivera was elected to her school board member role last November 

According to the court documents, the accusations against Rivera put her in a ‘dark place’ and resulted in her losing her job. 

She was first placed on administrative leave, but she requested to be fired because waiting on an outcome was ‘adding stress,’ the affidavit stated. 

The accusations against her come just months after the Democratic Committee of Lower Merion and Narberth shared several posts on Facebook endorsing Rivera for the school board. 

In one post, she was described as someone who ‘knows how to manage budgets over $100M with transparency and efficiency.’ 

It continued: ‘Leading with empathy and purpose, Jennifer is committed to ensuring every dollar spent directly benefits students and supports the district’s long-term goals.’ 

Last May, just months before Rivera was elected as a member of the school board in November, a group of her colleagues at SMB got together for a video sharing why they think the community should vote for her. 

‘I’ve known her less than 48 hours, and she is the sweetest person I ever met,’ a man said in the clip. 

The accusations against her come just months after the Democratic Committee of Lower Merion and Narberth shared several posts on Facebook endorsing Rivera for the school board

‘She’s super friendly, organized, [and] willing to help. [She] has everyone’s best interests at heart,’ another coworker added. 

Following her arrest, Lower Merion school board president Kerry Sautner told The Inquirer that the charges filed against Rivera do not reflect the district and its finances. 

‘As of this time, I have not had an opportunity to discuss Ms. Rivera’s future on the School Board with her,’ Sautner said. 

‘While it is important to note that anyone charged with a crime remains innocent until proven guilty, we must also consider the potential impact of this situation on our Board.’ 

Rivera has been charged with four counts of theft by deception, receiving stolen property and access device fraud. They are all third-degree felonies. 

Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 2.  

The Daily Mail contacted Rivera, SMB, and Sautner for comment.