Former CEO of Make-A-Wish Iowa is charged with theft and faces up to 30 years in prison after embezzling nearly $50,000 in funds from the children's charity
Jennifer Woodley, 40 , former CEO of Make-A-Wish Iowa, was arrested Thursday and charged with first-degree theft and unauthorized use of a credit card
The former CEO of Make-A-Wish Iowa has been charged after embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from the charity that supports sick children.
Mother-of-four Jennifer Woodley, 40, was arrested on Thursday and booked at the Polk County Jail in Des Moines on two counts of first-degree theft and the unauthorized use of a credit card.
Months after becoming its leader in August 2019, Woodley allegedly secretly awarded herself a $10,000 bonus in October 2019.
According to the criminal complaint, this had not been approved by the Make-A-Wish Iowa board.
The bonus, which Woodley added to a list of legitimate bonuses earned by other employees, cost the organization $15,540 in all, police said.
In addition, Woodley allegedly made 84 unauthorized purchases on an organization credit card that were for her personal use.
The purchases totaled more than $23,000 over a 10-month span, the complaints state.
Woodley allegedly did not reimburse the group for those expenses.
The organization announced last summer that it had discovered financial irregularities during a compliance review and that Woodley had been dismissed after serving as president and CEO for just over one year.
Woodely (second from left) and her husband (far right) have four children including two daughters - Molly (second from right) and Mackenzie (far left) - who have required brain surgery and Molly received a trip a Disney World from Make-A-Wish
Last summer, Make-A-Wish Iowa said it discovered financial irregularities during a compliance review and that Woodley had been dismissed.
Based in the Des Moines suburb of Urbandale, the Iowa group is one of 60 chapters of Make-A-Wish America, which works to provide support and memorable experiences for children with critical illnesses and their families.
Dave Farnsworth, the board chairman for Make-A-Wish Iowa, said the organization swiftly dismissed Woodley and notified police after discovering the problems last July.
If convicted, Woodley, a mother-of four , could face up to 30 years in prison
He said the organization was 'deeply saddened and disappointed by the events' that led to charges against Woodley.
'We thank the Urbandale Police Department for its investigation into this breach of Make-A-Wish's ethical standards and policies, and we will continue to cooperate with law enforcement,' he said.
'We know that we have an obligation to safeguard every dollar given to us.'
Woodley was released on bond, but no attorney was listed for her in online court records.
Jail records list Woodley's new address as Winston Salem, North Carolina, where her husband, Matt Woodley, is an assistant basketball coach at Wake Forest University.
The couple has four children, including two daughters - Molly and Mackenzie - who have required brain surgery.
One of them, Molly, received a trip to Walt Disney World through Make-A-Wish Iowa before Woodley was hired as CEO.
Each charge Woodley faces is a class C felony that carries up to 10 years in prison, meaning she could face 30 years in prison.
Make-A-Wish Iowa has an annual budget of $4 million, a staff of 16 employees and is governed by a 17-member volunteer board.
During Woodley's tenure, the 35-year-old chapter granted its 4,000th wish for a child and said it planned to grant about 170 wishes for children per year.