Former Oak Park schools manager gets 6 years for theft

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Updated: February 22, 2012 12:09PM

A former building and grounds superintendent who bilked $750,000 from Oak Park elementary schools was sentenced to six years in prison on Jan. 11.

Jerome Malatesta, 64, was convicted of felony theft of more than $100,000 from Oak Park School District 97.

He was fired in September 2007, following an audit and investigation that determined he had stolen as much as $750,000 from the school district through a series of fake and padded invoices for supplies and services to the school district.

“We are very satisfied with the conviction of Mr. Malatesta and appreciate the efforts of everyone who helped bring this individual to justice on behalf of District 97 and the citizens of Oak Park,” said District 97 Superintendent Al Roberts.

“In particular, we wish to thank the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and Assistant State’s Attorney Bill Merritt for all of their efforts. From the moment that the district discovered and reported this theft to law enforcement, they have made this case a high priority and have prosecuted it to the fullest.”

Roberts, who called Malatesta’s actions “deplorable,’ said policy changes implemented in the aftermath of the scandal have fostered significant improvements.

“We are very pleased that the internal controls implemented by the district brought this theft to light; and that those controls ensure that our financial resources are used to provide our students with a quality education,” Roberts said.  

In April 2008, District 97 also filed a civil lawsuit against Malatesta and several other businesses he dealt with, seeking to recover some of the lost funds. That civil case is still unresolved. The next court date is scheduled for March 27.

It is not clear how Malatesta’s incarceration will affect that litigation. He is scheduled to be paroled from prison in January 2015.