The Garden City founder of a New York City public defender office and her husband spent tens of thousands of dollars from the organization’s coffers on expensive meals, luxury shopping, a vacation in Bali and the rent for a penthouse apartment, federal prosecutors said in court papers.

A six-count indictment filed by federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York charged Queens Defenders founder Lori Zeno, 64, and her husband, Rashad Ruhani, 55, with wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and theft of funds, court papers filed earlier this month show.

"In total, defendants Rashad Ruhani and Lori Zeno misappropriated at least $60,000 in organization funds for their own personal benefit," the indictment said.

Zeno helped found the nonprofit Queens Defenders in 1996, according to the court papers, and served as its executive director from 2018 until early this year. Federal prosecutors said the office received federal funds through the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

Ruhani was hired in 2023 as a client advocate. Zeno and Ruhani began a romantic relationship after he was hired, and Ruhani was promoted to the manager of the organization’s youth program in June 2024.

Ruhani, of Corona, was arrested late Tuesday at Kennedy Airport after arriving in New York on a flight from California and appeared for arraignment in Brooklyn federal court on Wednesday afternoon. Zeno has not yet been arrested, authorities said.

Ruhani’s attorney, James Lenihan of White Plains, and a spokesperson for Queens Defenders could not be reached for comment. It was not clear from court papers if Zeno had retained legal counsel.

According to the court papers, Zeno and Ruhani racked up more than $10,000 on Queens Defenders credit cards for expenses related to a trip they took together to Bali. In December, Zeno used a Queens Defenders credit card to pay for $1,700 for expenses at a luxury resort in Santa Monica, Calif.

Ruhani used Queens Defenders credit cards in July 2024 to pay $3,300 for an 85-inch smart television and related accessories for the penthouse apartment, the papers said.

The organization also gave Ruhahi $39,000 to reimburse him for the apartment’s rent and utilities, falsely claiming that the penthouse was being used for "client defense" and "foster parent care" between Aug. 1 and Oct. 25.

In July according to the indictment, Zeno used a Queens Defender credit card to pay $600 for teeth-whitening procedures for Ruhani and herself.

After arraignment in court Wednesday, Ruhani was held without bail.