Ex Detroit Public School bookkeeper pleads guilty to embezzlement

FROM THE DETROIT FREE PRESS:

A former Detroit Public Schools bookkeeper faces 18 months in prison after pleading guilty this week to embezzling more than $148,000 from the cash-strapped district.

Allen Swayze, 34, of Detroit, admitted on Tuesday in U.S. District Court that he wrote phony and unauthorized checks drawn on bank accounts belonging to Breithaupt Career and Technical Center, the DPS school where he was employed, said U.S. Attorney Barbara Mcquade.
According to McQuade, the embezzlement took place between 2006 and 2009. Swayze wrote nearly $149,000 in fraudulent and unauthorized checks to himself and then deposited them in his bank accounts, she said.
“We hope that this case will deter others from stealing money intended to benefit our school children,” McQuade said.”Officials who steal school funds will be caught and brought to justice.”
Swayze faces up to 18 months in prison and a $250,000 fine. He also pay the DPS restitution in the amount of $148,772.86, which is the amount he stole. He will be sentenced Aug. 23.
Andrew Arena, special agent in charge of the FBI Detroit field office, said public corruption investigations remains a high priority in Detroit, and that the agency “continues to aggressively investigate individuals who steal funds originally designated for the Detroit Public Schools and the children of the City of Detroit.”