EAST ORANGE, N.J. — A Livingston woman has been charged with third-degree theft after allegedly stealing more than $17,000 from a performing arts high school in East Orange, according to Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens II.
Khaliah Johnson, 44, is accused of taking $17,360 from a fundraising account at the Cicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts, where she served as both treasurer and head secretary at the time of the alleged offenses.
Prosecutors allege that between July 5, 2024, and June 16, 2025, Johnson wrote checks from the school’s fundraising account and used the money for personal expenses. She has since resigned from her position at the school.
“The defendant was entrusted with managing funds intended to support students and school programs,” said Deputy Chief Assistant Prosecutor Portia N. Downing. “Our investigation revealed that this trust was repeatedly violated. This charge reflects our office’s commitment to protecting students and school communities.”
Johnson is scheduled to make her first court appearance on January 26, 2026.
Anyone with information related to criminal activity is encouraged to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Tips Line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC (1-877-847-7432). All tips are confidential.
