Shirley Gratz, 45, of Broadway, Rotterdam, was arrested by New York State Police on charges of grand larceny in the second degree and falsifying business records in the first degree, both felonies, for diverting $55,700 from a family member’s Ameritrade account to her own bank account, according to a release from state police.
In December of 2009, state police were alerted by Vermont authorities that funds were missing from an Ameritrade account. Working with Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney, troopers were able to identify each transaction and located the missing funds. Over a period of several months Gratz was able to cash stocks without authorization and had the money wired to her bank. Gratz was one of the beneficiaries of the account.
On Monday, May 10, Gratz was found in her apartment in Rotterdam and arrested on seven counts of falsifying business records in the first degree and grand larceny in the second degree, was arraigned in the Town of Duanesburg court and remanded to the Schenectady County jail in lieu of a $10,000 bail and $20,000 bond, according to a release from state police. Gratz is scheduled to reappear in the Town of Rotterdam court on May 17 at 5 p.m.`