Teacher Guilty in Massive Fraud Case - Update

(Rochester, New York) Forty-four-year-old teacher Lynn Taliento interrupted her trial in Monroe County Court yesterday with a guilty plea.

She pleaded guilty to second- and fourth-degree felony grand larceny and first-degree felony scheme to defraud and a misdemeanor of petit larceny.

In exchange for the plea, which was accepted by the prosecution, Judge John J. Connell promised a sentence cap of two to six years in prison. As a condition of the plea, the judge allowed Taliento to remain free from custody pending her sentencing Jan. 9.

Her husband, Ralph Taliento, faces the same charges as his wife. No date has been scheduled for his trial.

Those who were defrauded are seeking restitution but it seems unlikely. Reportedly, the Talientos gambled away much of the stolen funds.


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Teacher Arrested for Massive Fraud
[Previous 6/7/07 post]
(Rochester, New York) A 43-year-old teacher at Ninth Grade Academy, Lynn Taliento, has been arrested for allegedly defrauding an elderly woman out of $745,000.

Police found evidence indicating that Taliento scammed a 72-year-old Rochester woman out of the money in schemes dating back to mid-2004. State Police Investigator Jim Newell said there are potentially more victims of Taliento's schemes.

The Rush-Henrietta School District notified parents of Taliento's students by email and letter of her arrest. Parents were also "advised to check their children's credit histories because there is a possibility that this teacher may have solicited student social security numbers on a form that was used in the classroom."

Taliento was booked into the Monroe County Jail in lieu of $100,000 cash or $250,000 bond. She has been charged with second-degree grand larceny.


[Update 1/23/09]

Lynn Taliento gets 2 to 6 in prison. Ralph to be sentenced in April.