CENTER TWP. – A former township tax collector pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to wire fraud and filing false tax returns.
Jeanne Bowser, 62, of Center Township, admitted to stealing more than $1 million in tax payments from Center Township and the Central Valley School District between 2011 and 2019.
She embezzled the funds by writing herself checks from a bank account used for tax deposits and stealing cash tax payments.
Bowser, who resigned two years ago after a routine district audit uncovered financial irregularities, underreported her income on taxes and filed misleading financial reports to conceal the theft.
Her sentencing is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 28; she faces up to 23 years in prison and/or a $500,000 fine. The actual sentence imposed, however, could vary.