Patricia Sparby, of West Islip, charged in theft of more than $385G from employer over 5 years, Suffolk police say

A West Islip woman is charged with embezzling more than $385,000 from her employer over a 5-year span, Suffolk police said.

Suffolk County police said following an investigation by financial crimes unit detectives and investigators from the Suffolk County District Attorney's Financial Crimes Bureau, Patricia Sparby, 66, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with second-degree grand larceny. She faces arraignment Tuesday in First District Court in Central Islip. It was not immediately clear if Sparby is represented by counsel.

Police said between January 2019 and August 2024, while working as a bookkeeper for R&J Display Inc. of West Babylon, Sparby "wrote checks to herself" totaling $385,424.36. The fraud was discovered during an audit last year, police said in a news release.

Police said the embezzled funds were mostly used by Sparby for personal expenses, though it was not clear if any of the proceeds were recovered as a result of the investigation.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a Newsday reporter since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press, Society of the Silurians and National Headliner Awards for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing. He is the author of “Swee'pea,” about New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. His debut crime novel, “For Nothing Is Hidden,” rooted in 1950s Long Island, was released in October 2025.