Current and former HWDSB officials charged with fraud, forgery

A former Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board Superintendent and another employee are facing charges following an investigation by the Hamilton Police Major Fraud Unit.

An investigation into credit card transactions by former Superintendent Patrick Rocco was launched in May 2016. The transactions happened while the 57-year-old was working for the HWDSB.

He has been charged with three counts of fraud under $5,000, making forged document and using a forged document.

“Further it is alleged that Rocco, with the help of another HWDSB employee, identified as Patrick Elliot, falsified documents that were submitted to the United States Department of State relating to citizenship for personal gain,” said Hamilton police in a news release.

Elliot, 46, is facing six charges all related to forged documents.

Rocco is now an Executive Superintendent with the Toronto District School Board.

Both men are scheduled to appear in a Hamilton courtroom in January 2018.

Anyone with information that could help with police in this investigation is being asked to contact Detective Dave Place of the Major Fraud Unit at 905-546-4527.