Former Uniontown Treasurer Convicted of Embezzling Over $200K from Town and Baptist Association

The small town of Uniontown has seen better days, particularly after its former treasurer, Antoinette Hodge, was recently convicted of siphoning away taxpayer funds, totalling more than $100,000. According to a report by

WPXI

, Hodge was found to have stolen $106,000 from the Treasurer’s Office during the years 2020 to 2021, alarmingly draining the collected funds, apparently, to fuel a personal gambling habit that saw her spending in excess of $1,500 daily on the vice.

Attorney General Michelle Henry, whose office announced the conviction, highlighted the betrayal inherent in Hodge’s actions, saying, “The defendant was elected to a position of trust in her community. She abused that trust and defrauded taxpayers for her own gain,” in a statement detailed by

WPXI

. Henry emphasized the importance of prosecuting such breaches of trust to maintain local government integrity and the office’s commitment to protect taxpayers from officials who might abuse their powers. Hodge’s sentencing is slated for Nov. 21, following her unsuccessful bid for re-election, leaving her no longer in the treasurer position.

In a concurrent scandal detailed by

CBS News Pittsburgh

, Hodge was also found guilty of misappropriating an additional $112,000 from the Youghiogheny Western Baptist Association where she once presided as chairperson. The religious organization, comprised of 27 Baptist churches across Fayette, Westmoreland, and Allegheny counties, fell into unexpected debt after Hodge secretly depleted its general and money market accounts, leading to unpaid invoices and a risk of service terminations.

After realizing bills weren’t being paid, local church members grew suspicious and uncovered the financial mess caused by Hodge’s gambling. Police later discovered she had emptied the church’s funds, as reported by

CBS News Pittsburgh

.

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