Former Detroit Public Schools Bookkeeper Sentenced for Federal Program Fraud
| U.S. Attorney’s Office August 23, 2011 |
Allen Swayze, 34, a former Detroit Public Schools (“DPS”) bookkeeper, was sentenced today on charges that he fraudulently obtained money from Detroit Public Schools, announced United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade.
United States Attorney McQuade was joined in this announcement by Andrew G. Arena, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Swayze was sentenced by United States District Judge Lawrence Zatkoff, to 14 months’ imprisonment. He was also ordered to pay DPS restitution in the amount of $148,772.86.
According to court records, Swayze, who worked as a bookkeeper at the Breithaupt Career and Technical Center, admitted that between August 2006 and May 2009, he wrote fraudulent and unauthorized checks drawn on Breithaupt bank accounts in the amount of $148,772.86 to himself and then deposited them in his bank accounts.
United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade said, “We hope that this case will deter others from stealing money intended to benefit our school children. Officials who steal school funds will be caught and brought to justice.”
Roy Roberts, Emergency Manager of Detroit Public Schools stated, “We will continue to work closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement authorities to ensure that funds and resources intended for students and the classroom are not misdirected for anyone’s personal benefit.”
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the DPS Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Pamela Thompson.