Former Sioux Falls PTA leader charged with embezzling funds for Netflix, 'pyramid scheme'
A former Sioux Falls Parent Teacher Association president allegedly used more than $1,000 in PTA funds for her own personal use, such as “pyramid schemes” and streaming services, according to an affidavit from January.
Tiffaniee Cope, 41, was indicted April 10 on a Class 6 felony charge of one count of embezzlement of property received in trust, according to court documents.
A former board member for the Sioux Falls PTA reported the embezzlement to police Oct. 25, 2023. Police then contacted Megan Snyder, president of the state PTA Association, who confirmed the theft and advised that the state PTA secretary, Erin Doering, believed the actual loss to be closer to $3,000, according to an affidavit.
Doering told police that the PTA account contained $3,101.50 at one point, and then only contained $3.54 at a later point, according to the affidavit.
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Cope linked the PTA’s bank account to her own PayPal account and used it to pay bills and make money transfers, with 25 transactions between 2021 and 2022, totaling $1,210.71 unrelated to PTA activities, a detective stated in the affidavit.
Some of the transactions listed in the affidavit include payments for streaming services Netflix and Peacock, and many for “Younique by Tiffaniee,” which the detective describes in the affidavit as a “pyramid scheme that recruits people to sell cosmetic items on a multi-level marketing platform.”
A warrant was issued for Cope’s arrest on Feb. 16. She posted a $1,000 bond on March 1. Then, her bond was changed to a personal recognizance bond March 14, according to court documents. Cope is set to appear for arraignment May 2, according to court records.
If convicted, Cope could face two years in prison and/or $4,000 in fines, plus restitution to the victims, according to state law.
Sioux Falls School District community relations coordinator DeeAnn Konrad would not say which school was affected by the misuse of PTA funds, how the district is addressing the embezzlement issue, or how the district is working with people who gave to the PTA to get their money back or address any trust issues with the school’s PTA.
South Dakota PTA President Megan Snyder said she’s aware of the situation but is unable to “comment on the ongoing case.”
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Affidavit: Former Sioux Falls PTA leader embezzled funds for Netflix
