Teacher questioned about trip money

Web posted June 22, 1999

By S.B. Crawford
Staff Writer

An Aquinas High school teacher is being questioned by police in the possible embezzlement of money collected from students for a trip to Europe, authorities said Monday.

Vanessa Velez-Cruz, employed as a Spanish teacher at Aquinas, was taken into custody by police at Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport after disembarking from a Paris flight, said District Attorney Danny Craig.

Richmond County sheriff's investigators were en route to Atlanta late Monday to bring Ms. Velez-Cruz to Augusta, where she is wanted for violating her bond for a 1989 felony theft charge.

Superior Court Judge J. Carlisle Overstreet signed an order Monday revoking Ms. Velez-Cruz's bond, citing her as ``a threat to commit additional crimes and a threat to abscond jurisdiction of the court,'' Mr. Craig said.

The bond revocation comes in connection with complaints made to police about Ms. Velez-Cruz's role in organizing a trip to Europe for Aquinas students, he said.

About 30 students left Atlanta on Thursday for what was intended to be a 14-day tour. But a day after the group's arrival in Europe, the students' accommodations were canceled because checks written to the travel agency by Ms. Velez-Cruz had bounced, Mr. Craig said.

Though officials at Aquinas knew of the European tour, Ms. Velez-Cruz acted as a private individual in organizing the trip, said Tim Mirshak, attorney for the school.

``Aquinas High School was aware of the financial problems arising from this trip to Europe. The trip was not sponsored by Aquinas, but an adult who was a teacher at Aquinas,'' Mr. Mirshak said Monday.

Though their travel plans have been cut short, the students do have a place to stay and are expected to return to Georgia as early as Wednesday, Mr. Mirshak said.

Two other adult chaperones are with the students in Paris, and a third is expected to arrive today -- replacing Ms. Velez-Cruz, who boarded a flight Monday morning.

Prior to the trip, Ms. Velez-Cruz had been collecting money from students and parents for several months -- more than $80,000 in all -- but the actual reservations were not booked until 10 days ago, Mr. Craig said.

Authorities would not reveal how much money is alleged to be missing, saying the investigation has just begun.

``I can confirm without a doubt we are working it as a criminal matter,'' said sheriff's Chief Deputy Ronald Strength. ``I've got a total of at least 30 victims, I'm told. I believe they are all students.''

In 1989, Ms. Velez-Cruz was charged with theft by taking, after being accused of embezzling about $24,000 from the Augusta Shopper Magazine, where she was employed as a bookkeeper and accountant, Mr. Craig said.

After she failed to appear for an arraignment, a bench warrant was issued for her arrest, but she hadn't been apprehended until this past December, when her bond was reinstated, he said.

Staff Writer Faith Johnson contributed to this article.

S.B. Crawford can be reached at (706) 823-3217 or newsroom@augustachronicle.com.