Former Adult Learning Center Administrator Charged with Stealing $12,000 in Student Fees

A former vice principal at the New Brunswick Adult Learning Center has been arrested and charged with theft of at least $12,000 in student fees, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office announced Friday.

Patricia Ruggeri, 35, was arrested on Friday at her new place of employment, Rutgers Camden, and charged with one count of theft for allegedly taking student GED fees between April 2011 and July 2012 while she was employed as vice principal of adult education at the New Brunswick Adult Learning Center.

Ruggeri was listed on the Community Leadership Center at Rutgers Camden website as Associate Director for Special Projects on the date of publication of this story. On Nov. 19, her name no longer appeared on the website.

Ruggeri, of East Brunswick, took a leave of absence from the Adult Learning Center around the end of June, and resigned from her job in September, according to Richard Kaplan, Superintendent for the New Brunswick school district.

Kaplan said that he found the discrepancies while going over budget information for the school and reported it to New Brunswick Police Director Anthony Caputo, and from there, it went to the Prosecutor's Office.

Investigators have determined that at least $12,000 is missing from the school's coffers, and are still investigating to see if any other funds are missing.

Bail has been set for Ruggeri at $15,000, according to the Prosecutor's Office.

No students were denied any educational services as a result of the thefts, according to the Prosecutor's Office.

Anyone with information is asked to call Investigator Lisa Collins of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3477.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly listed Ruggeri's current place of employment and the location of her arrest, as per information provided by the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office. Ruggeri was arrested at her office at Rutgers University's Camden campus.