Secretary at Law Office Accused of Stealing $265,000

On January 27, 2023, New York State Police arrested Amber M. Wood, 39, of Schoharie, NY, for Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, eight counts of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, five counts of Forgery in the Second Degree, five counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, and Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree.

On October 6, 2022, at about 12:09 p.m., Investigators of Princetown Bureau of Criminal Investigation received a complaint regarding missing funds from a guardianship estate assigned to Daniel S. Ross at Ross Law Offices in Middleburgh, NY. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that Wood worked as a secretary for Ross Law Offices. The investigation further determined that between November 2013 and June 2021, Wood had stolen over $265,000 from the guardianship account and had deposited checks from that account into her personal bank account. It was also discovered during the same time frame, Wood had altered business records related to the guardianship bank account, which were subsequently filed with Schoharie County Surrogate Court containing false information.

Wood turned herself over to State Police for processing. She was arraigned at the Cobleskill Town Court and transported to Schenectady County Correctional Facility to await arraignment on charges in Schenectady County for the same incident.