Nassau police arrested an East Northport contractor on Wednesday for stealing nearly $50,000 from a not-for-profit agency earlier this year.
John Scherillo, 36, owner of Prestige Builders, funded his payroll with a forged check from the New York Racing Association in the amount of $48,232.12 on Jan. 30, according to Crimes Against Property Squad detectives.
New York Racing Association, which runs Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course, never issued such a check to Scherillo, police said.
Scherillo is an alleged victim of accused Ponzi schemer Nicholas Cosmo, owner of Agape World, an investment firm that federal prosecutors say was a sham.
Scherillo was charged with possession of a forged instrument and grand larceny and will be arraigned at First District Court in Hempstead on Thursday.