The assistant principal at an Orthodox Jewish school in Northwest Baltimore has been indicted in the theft of more than $13,000 in school checks, which he is accused of depositing into his bank account, city prosecutors said.
Rabbi Jay Kenneth Wagner, who worked at Yeshivat Rambam/Maimonides Academy of Baltimore at 6300 Park Heights Avenue until recently, was arrested and released Tuesday after posting a small cash bond, according to court records. The indictment was filed Sept. 10.
Wagner, 32, of the 3400 block of Labyrinth Road in Northwest Baltimore has no previous arrests, according to Maryland's online court records.
Prosecutors contend that Wagner stole the money between January 2007 and May 2009. School officials reported their suspicions to the state's attorney's office in June.
The Baltimore Jewish Times reported Tuesday on its Web site that school officials had sent parents an e-mail explaining the indictment:
"Several months ago, through our normal internal controls and procedures, it became clear that our school had experienced some financial irregularities and, in addition, that school funds were missing. Our bank and the State Attorney's office thoroughly investigated the incident. With the help of our financial institutions, we have every expectation that we will fully recover all misappropriated funds; the vast majority of missing funds have, in fact, already been recovered."
Wagner is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 19 in Baltimore Circuit Court.
