Former PCLC boss Angela Stathopoulos pleaded guilty to stealing more than $500,000 from charity

A charity boss nicked half a million dollars from the organisation — meant for disadvantaged kids — to fund a lifestyle of overseas trips, designer clothes and Harry Styles tickets.

Angela Stathopoulos stole more than $500,000 from the Prahran Community Learning Centre, a charity which helps disadvantaged youth.

A jetsetting thief splurged cash that was intended for “the most vulnerable members of society” on travel, Harry Styles and Miley Cyrus concerts and shopping.

Angela Stathopoulos, 49, pleaded guilty at the County Court on Thursday to 10 obtaining financial advantage by deception offences.

Stathopoulos, of Murrumbeena, stole $531,111.52 from the Prahran Community Learning Centre (PCLC) between May 2011 and March 2022.

She spent the money on a variety of expenses to fund her lavish lifestyle, from dance lessons for her daughter to trips to Disneyland, designer clothes and Harry Styles concerts.

Stathopoulos, who became boss of the charity in 2010, also spent more than $30,000 on petrol, and more than $128,000 on personal expenses such as clothing, beauty and Netflix.

The court heard she had full financial control of the charity’s expenses which included managing grants.

Stathopoulos was stood down by the charity in March 2022 after a lengthy investigation was launched by the new chair, before she was later charged by police when forensic accountants went through PCLC’s finances.

Angela Stathopoulos “put up roadblocks” to protect her “nefarious activities”, the court heard.

Initially, Stathopoulos told accountants her expenses were “legitimate” before being unable to provide an explanation.

The board was largely replaced in 2020 after “inherit risks regarding risk management and financial management were identified”.

During this time, the fraudster put up “roadblocks” to try and protect her “nefarious activities”, the court heard.

“She blocked my ability to get access to financial information, blocked me at the door from visits to the centre,” former treasurer Maggie Burke told the court.

“She spent the money on herself that could have changed the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged youth.”

A “traumatised” Ms Burke said Stathopoulos was spending money “on designer clothes on Greville St” while “she refused to spend money on the (learning) centre”.

Chairwoman Tara Blanchy told the court Stathopoulos “abused my trust and my time” and the centre — which has now been renamed Prahran Place due to the charity’s reputation being trashed — had to make “tough fiscal measures’ as a result of her fraud.

This included closing a VCAL pathway for disadvantaged kids, the court heard.

VCAL, which has been renamed the Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) is a flexible foundation secondary course that meets the needs of the minority of Year 11 and 12 students not able or ready to complete a certificate at the VCE level.

The boss of PCLC “flaunted” her lifestyle on social media, which was a “stark contrast” to the vulnerable youth her charity was supposed to help.

Ms Blanchy said the charity received enormous backlash as a result of this cut, and said “I sympathizize with many parents affected by the closure”.

“I am outraged that she used public money intended to help the most vulnerable members of society to live a lifestyle in stark contrast to those she was supposed to help,” Ms Blanchy said.

“She flaunted herself on social media as a benevolent success story, and I now have a hard time trusting people in the not-for-profit sector.”

The court heard the accountants estimated only 12-18 per cent of the expenses outlaid by Stathopoulos were for business purposes.

She joined the not-for-profit in 2002 as an education officer before her promotion to principal executive officer in 2010.

The court heard she had three priors for theft in 2001.

The plea will continue on April 8, with Stathopoulous’ bail extended until that date.