CCFJ.NET: Condo official’s illness starts probe that leads to grand theft, fraud charges

Article Courtesy of The Sun Sentinel

By Adam Sacasa

Published January 9, 2016

A medical condition launched the discovery that led to accusations that a woman stole nearly $58,000 while treasurer of a Palm Beach Gardens homeowners association.

Martha Susan Coppock-Hughes, 58, of Palm Beach Gardens, was arrested Tuesday and is facing fraud and grand theft charges.

After the Royal Point Manor East Condo Association held its annual meeting in January 2015, the association collected dues from its 18 members, as usual, for several months.

But in May, Coppock-Hughes suffered a stroke, causing other members of the HOA to pick up her duties. When they did, they discovered she was missing a check to pay her fees, according to a Palm Beach Gardens police arrest report.

Coppock-Hughes explained to former HOA president Brigitte Mathews that she hadn’t paid maintenance fees for ten years because of “all the work I was doing,” the report quoted her as saying. Read more:

http://www.ccfj.net/condo58theft.html