UPDATE: Charter school admin. in Delaware pleads guilty to federal program theft
A release from the Department of Justice says that a charter school administrator from Delaware had pleaded guilty to federal program theft.
Charles M. Oberly, III, United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced on Wednesday that Sean Moore, 43, of New Castle, pleaded guilty to three counts of federal program theft before U.S. District Judge Richard G. Andrews.
Moore is scheduled to be sentenced on March 2, 2017.
The release states that according to court records and statements made in open court, between July 1, 2011 and January 31, 2015, while serving as the Director of Finance and Operations for the Family Foundations Academy, Moore embezzled $161,871 from the school.
Moore is said to have done this embezzling in a number of ways. The DOJ release explains how, as follows;
“First, Moore charged personal expenses to an unauthorized credit card he opened in the name of the school. Moore also abused the State of Delaware’s voucher program, by which charter schools are permitted to submit qualified expenses for reimbursement, and the State of Delaware’s procurement card system, by which the State of Delaware issues credit cards to charter school administrators to purchase necessary school supplies.
“In addition, Moore stole money from the school’s fundraising account, which consisted of money collected from parents of school students, local sponsors, and an after-school program. Moore also took money from the school’s construction loan account.”
DOJ officials say that Moore used the embezzled money for personal expenses such as retail and home improvement, electronics, auto loan payments, auto services and accessories, federal tax payments, groceries, entertainment, food, gas, travel, gifts and collectibles, shoes, hotels, jewelry, train tickets, and video games.
The Family Foundations Academy is reported to have received significant federal funding, which provides the basis for the federal program theft charges. The maximum penalty for each count is ten years in prison followed by a three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Education – Office of the Inspector General, and the Delaware Attorney General’s Office, with assistance from the Delaware Office of Auditor of Accounts. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth L. Van Pelt is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
