A newly elected board of directors at the Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association discovered that the organization’s bank account had been depleted to zero, prompting criminal charges against its former treasurer.
Police claim Michal Fantuzzo, 40, of Westmoreland County, spent over $246,000 of the nonprofit’s money on personal expenses between 2021 and 2024.
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The association, based in Bryn Mawr, promotes professional growth and access to therapists who help clients with physical changes, rehabilitation needs, and developmental delays.
According to investigators, the financial issues surfaced in 2025, when the new board found the company couldn’t pay its payments. They then discovered what police called dubious withdrawals from the group’s accounts.
Fantuzzo is accused of using the monies to pay off credit card debt and property taxes, as well as to maintain an expensive lifestyle.
Police said the expenses included a family trip to Disney World, a vacation house in North Carolina, a country club membership, a limousine rental, and the installation of a hot tub in his home.
His Facebook profile shows him standing with family members at Disney, but authorities have yet to confirm whether the photo corresponds to the trip mentioned in the complaint.
Fantuzzo did not return phone calls on Monday. Police said he handed himself in on Friday and was freed the same day. He is facing many felony accusations.
The Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association rejected an interview but provided a written statement, which said in part:
“It was deeply troubling to learn that Mr. Fantuzzo chose to abuse the trust we placed in him with respect to POTA’s financial accounts.”
Fantuzzo is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Feb. 17.
