Mesa PTO treasurer accused of spending school funds on rent, Disney on Ice tickets

A former parent teacher organization treasurer is facing a felony theft charge, accused of using the group’s bank account and debit card to pay for rent, car repairs and Disney on Ice tickets, authorities said.

Detectives submitted a complaint on May 20 charging Chandra Cushman with felony theft, according to the Mesa Police Department.

Cushman was the Whitman Elementary School PTO treasurer since 2022, which made her responsible for managing the organization’s finances.

School administrators reported suspected credit card fraud involving the PTO account to police in January 2025, the same month Cushman was removed from the position.

Detectives found that in 2023 and 2024, Cushman withdrew cash from the PTO account 10 times and deposited more than $5,000 into her personal bank account.

Investigators said she also used the PTO debit card for personal expenses, including $3,400 in apartment rent payments, $850 in car repairs and $218 for Disney on Ice tickets for herself and her daughter in October 2023.

The unauthorized transactions totaled $9,843, police said.

Cushman admitted to using the PTO account and debit card for personal expenses during a voluntary interview with detectives, according to police.

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