Local NJ councilwoman resigns, charged with stealing from charity

🚨 Hillsdale Councilwoman accused of stealing money from charity

🚨 Abby Lundy has resigned and will not seek re-election

🚨 Lundy is jailed in Connecticut

A Republican councilwoman from Hillsdale has abruptly resigned and will not seek re-election after her arrest on embezzlement charges in Connecticut.

Police in New Canaan began investigating Abby Lundy, 60, last July in connection to her job as the director of development and community outreach for a Connecticut based charity.

The charity, First Light, was supposed to provide bereavement support for families who had lost a child to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

The investigation led to a warrant for Lundy's arrest, and she turned herself in on Aug. 22, according to police.

Charged with stealing money

Lundy has been charged with first-degree larceny, third-degree forgery, and second-degree forging a public record.

In her role with the charity, Lundy was in charge of paying payroll taxes. It is alleged that she failed to pay those tax bills, and instead diverted that money to her personal bank account.

It is also alleged that Lundy tried to cover up the embezzlement by allowing the charity's non-profit status to lapse and diverted some of the charity's mail to her home.

Law enforcement has not said how much money was allegedly stolen.

Lundy is being held on $100,000 bond.

New Jersey Globe reports Lundy was the former business manager for the New Jersey Library Association

Will not seek re-election

Lundy was one of two Republicans on a majority Democratic council in Hillsdale, Bergen County.

The Globe reports she ran unopposed in 2021 and was seeking her fourth term on the council.

Local Republican committee members will now choose a replacement to run in November's election.

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