The fund that Cooper is accused of plundering helped support the park. Forum Newsgroup photo by Luis Gronda.
The former administrator of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and executive director of Unisphere, Inc., a nonprofit conservancy group, was indicted on charges that she stole more than $50,000 from the organization that she helped found, announced the Queens District Attorney’s office earlier this week.
Estelle Cooper, 82, faces charges of second-and-third-degree larceny for stealing over a four year period from the nonprofit that funds activities in the park.
Cooper’s alleged deception was initially discovered in an internal Unisphere audit in November 2011.
The results of the audit were turned over to the Queen’s District Attorney’s office in February 2012, who then presented the case to a Queens County grand jury.
The grand jury charged that Cooper obtained access to the organization’s financials and systematically stole from their funds.
Cooper resigned from her position as executive director of Unisphere in December 2011.
Shortly after, she also resigned from her posts at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park and the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation.
If convicted Cooper could face up to 15 years in prison.
