Ex-NYC PTA chief charged with stealing $41K for trips, amusement parks and online gambling

She took the school’s money for a real roller coaster ride, prosecutors say.

A former Queens PTA president has been hit with grand larceny charges — after she allegedly stole $41,000 meant for students to spend on personal trips to Six Flags Great Adventure and the Kalahari Resort, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.

Athena Gonzalez, 33, who lead the parents’ group at Astoria’s PS 166 gifted and talented school, also used PTA checks and a credit cards to gift herself pricy bottles of wine and go on gambling sprees, the DA said.

Photo of former PTA president Athena Gonzalez that was among the images that raised suspicion and helped prompt an investigation into missing funds. Facebook Athena Gonzalez

“This defendant, as PTA president at PS 166, was supposed to be the guardian of the associations funds,” Katz said.

“But, as alleged, instead put the money into her own account and paid for personal trips to Six Flags Great Adventure and Kalahari Resorts, among other expenses,” Katz added.

“For more than nine months she used the organization as her own personal checking account and ultimately stole more than $41,000.”

The Post reported exclusively on Gonzalez’s alleged illicit spending spree on Oct. 19, detailing how the PS 166 PTA’s bank account shriveled from $64,817 in June to just $12,564 by September.

The PTA for the dual-language school reported revenues of more than $92,000 in 2023 but was forced to cancel popular events this year after its account was frozen.

The group’s Equitable School Supplies fund, which purchases school supplies with $45 contributions from parents, was also drained during the alleged illegal theft.

Gonzalez was elected to preside over the school group in June 2023.

PTA officials revealed the missing funds at an Oct. 7 meeting, and announced that Gonzalez had resigned on Sept. 27 after the thefts were discovered, The Post reported.

PS 166 in Astoria, a dual-language gifted and talented school, saw it’s bank account plummet this year. Angel Chevrestt

The scandal also led to the resignation of the group’s acting treasurer, Claudia Henriquez.

Prosecutors said Gonzalez stole a total of $41,315, including $1,120 in cash she deposited into her account and also took money used on gambling apps.

Gonzalez was arraigned on charges of grand larceny and possession of stolen property on Tuesday and released without bail, court records show.

She faces up to seven years in prison if convicted and is due back in court on Dec. 3.

Her attorney, Robert Tsiegler, told The Post on Thursday that Gonzalez was “adamant” about her innocence and looked forward to proving it in court.