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Former Bronx principal who stole money from alumni fund can avoid jail by paying school back
By Ben Kochman
He's in limbo. The disgraced former principal of a Bronx Catholic school who fessed to dipping into the academy's alumni fund — before resigning amid charges of sexual misconduct — has one last chance to pay back $8,200 and avoid being tossed in jail. Christopher Keogan, 58, has just two weeks to come up with $8,251 to pay back Cardinal Hayes High School, according to a deal hashed out Monday in Bronx Supreme Court. The former Christian Brother resigned after being accused of having an affair with a male subordinate and having explicit images on his computer. He was never formally charged, but was indicted in 2010 for allegedly stealing $50,000 from the south Bronx school's alumni fund. Keogan pleaded guilty in September to petit larceny, and agreed to pay back $8,251 by Monday's court date. But he was reduced to begging Bronx Supreme Court Justice Steven Barrett for yet another chance. Wearing a vest, khakis and sneakers, he said nothing during the brief appearance, while lawyer Monte Malik Chandler claimed that a cousin of Keogan's would come up with the money in three weeks. Keogan himself earns just $200 a week working at a food pantry, Chandler claimed. Justice Barrett was fuming that the former educator waited until the moment he was sentenced to raise the cash concerns. "Why are these three weeks so key, but the last 25 weeks were not? the judge asked. "What is it about the next three weeks? What has changed?" Keogan's last chance to come up with the dough and avoid prison time is on March 16.
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