Yale administrator fired following $3.5 million fraud allegations in New York

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NEW HAVEN Westport resident Cindy Tappe is no longer employed at Yale University on Thursday after her alleged fraud scheme was uncovered while at New York University, according to Yale spokeswoman Karen Peter.

The 57-year-old’s most recent title at Yale was director of operations at the medical school. She was placed on leave Monday after the university learned of the allegations, and was fired Thursday.

Tappe pleaded not guilty in Manhattan District Court on Monday to all charges of first-degree money laundering, second-degree robbery, first-degree false instrument of deposit and first-degree falsifying business records. .

From 2012 to 2018, Tappe was director of finance and administration at NYU, where she reportedly used public funds for personal expenses, including renovations to her Westport home and a swimming pool.

According to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, Tappe allegedly funneled about $3.5 million in grants intended for minority and women-owned businesses to bank accounts held by two shell companies she set up. The embezzled fund was part of a $23 million award from the New York State Department of Education and belonged to the Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and Transformation of Schools at New York University.

Prosecutors said Tappe arranged three subcontractors to receive the majority of the $3.527 million between 2012 and 2018, but none of the companies did any work on the contracts, but operated as middlemen. .

Tappes’ scheme was uncovered in 2018, when she left NYU. Authorities opened an investigation after that.

Peart said Yale hired Tappe in 2019 and she underwent pre-employment screening, including reference and background checks, like all university employees.

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