Former RPI official accused of embezzling from school

PHOTOGRAPHER: The Associated Press

A grand jury has indicted a former Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute employee on charges she stole more than $350,000 from the university.

Rensselaer County District Attorney Richard McNally said Christine Dickson faces a felony count of second-degree grand larceny. Authorities say she used an RPI-issued credit card to steal $367,901 between 2003 and 2009.

The 55-year-old Dickson was arrested three years ago but had been in plea negotiations since. The grand jury indicted her Friday.

Her lawyer, Joe Ahearn, says he’ll seek to dismiss the charges based on the lag between arrest and indictment.

Dickson is accused of using the card to get $82,000 in cash advances, $15,000 in car rentals, $4,900 for cruise and airline travel and $1,500 in charges to Amazon.com. She also funded some trips to casinos.