Former Justice Alma Wilson Seeworth Academy superintendent Janet Grigg is accused of embezzling more than $250,000.
She faces three felony charges of embezzlement of public money, embezzlement of public property and concealing stolen property.
Charging documents first reported by online news outlet NonDoc echo the findings of an investigative audit released by State Auditor and Inspector General Cindy Byrd late last year.
Byrd accused Grigg of giving herself and upper level staff more than $210,000 in unapproved bonuses and spending more than $40,000 on personal expenses.
The defunct charter school was founded in 1998 as an alternative school for at-risk students. It closed in 2019 amid concerns about its finances.
Grigg is the fourth former charter school leader charged with embezzling public funds this year by Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater.
After a years-long investigation, two Epic Charter School founders and its former Chief Financial Officer were arrested in June following accusations of embezzling millions.
Founders Ben Harris and David Chaney, along with CFO Josh Brock, face a slew of charges: racketeering, embezzlement of state funds, obtaining money by false pretense, conspiracy to commit a felony, violation of the Oklahoma Computer Crimes Act, submitting false documents to the state and unlawful proceeds.
It’s unclear if more people will be charged for their role in oversight at Seeworth Academy. NonDoc reported: “Prater called his investigation into the matter ‘ongoing,’ alluding to allegations that prominent former board members of the charter school may have broken the law by spending more than $135,000 after the school had closed.”
StateImpact Oklahoma is a partnership of Oklahoma’s public radio stations which relies on contributions from readers and listeners to fulfill its mission of public service to Oklahoma and beyond. Donate online.
