Fresno Unified School District announced Friday that it was the target of a major check fraud scheme that attempted to steal millions of dollars from the district.
Fraudsters attempted to cash unauthorized checks from the district to one of its vendors.
The big picture: An investigation by law enforcement uncovered that several checks totaling around $7 million were fraudulently attempted to be cash.
- FUSD prevented around $4 million from being lost and has recovered some of the stolen funds.
- The district said it anticipates that all of the remaining funds will be fully recovered.
- The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the fraud was part of a larger check fraud ring.
Go deeper: Fresno County is the signatory on the district’s checks, but the district said the county has had no involvement in the fraud and bears no responsibility.
- Fresno County has assisted the district since the beginning of the investigation to recover the money.
What they’re saying: “In order to avoid compromising any ongoing investigations or the potential recovery of additional funds, Fresno Unified has maintained strict confidentiality about this matter until now,” the district said in a statement. “The safety and integrity of our financial operations remain a top priority, and we continue to work closely with all investigative bodies to resolve the situation.”
- The district added, “Fresno Unified has investigated internally, revisiting our controls and processes to ensure we are keeping up with the ever-changing landscape of fraud. Fresno Unified remains committed to upholding the trust and confidence of the communities we serve.”
