(CBS DETROIT) – A former Wyandotte elementary school principal accused of embezzling more than $89,000 in school funds has pleaded guilty.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Krizia Allen, 38, of West Bloomfield, has pleaded guilty to one count of theft from a federally funded program. The verdict is scheduled for October 10.
Federal prosecutors said Allen, a principal at Garfield Elementary School, stole approximately $89,312 between June 2018 and February 2023 by using the money for personal use.
Officials said Allen funneled more than $24,000 through a corporate entity and used the money to pay rent and food and make ATM withdrawals. She also used a school credit card to purchase items on Amazon, transferring more than $50,000 to her PayPal account.
To conceal the theft, Allen submitted false business invoices and receipts for school-related purchases to the finance department.
Federal officials said the school board learned of Allen’s alleged theft in February 2023 and terminated her employment. An investigation revealed that on the day she was released, Allen searched online for “embezzlement” and “minimum fraud.”
“Krizia Allen stole tens of thousands of dollars in public funds intended to benefit her students. Every dollar that Ms. Allen embezzled for her own personal benefit deprived the students and teachers of Garfield Elementary of the financial resources needed to ensure that every child at Garfield received a quality education,” U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said in a statement. “My office takes theft from such federally funded education programs very seriously, and we will continue to bring to justice those who steal from these programs.”
