A NC payroll employee worked for a school district. Police say she embezzled nearly $200K.
A North Carolina school division employee has been fired and is facing charges after the district said she transferred nearly $200,000 to her personal accounts.
Jordan Allred, 36, was fired on March 14 after school administrators discovered the alleged embezzlement, which has gone on since at least 2022, Lee County Schools said in a news release this week.
According to court documents obtained by Paste BN, she is alleged to have taken $190,588.93. She has since been charged with one count of embezzlement greater than $100,000, according to a news release from the Sanford Police Department .
She turned herself in Wednesday and was released on a $250,000 unsecured bond.
A lawyer for Allred did not immediately respond to Paste BN's requests for comment Thursday morning.
Allred was working for Lee County Schools, about 36 miles southwest of Raleigh, overseeing payroll for the district when the alleged crimes occurred, the school division said in a statement Wednesday.
District officials found a payroll discrepancy on March 13 and began investigating, the release said. They contacted the police that day and fired Allred the next day.
“Since that time, Mrs. Allred has not had access to any Lee County Schools software, systems, or facilities,” the district said in the news release.
State auditor is involved in the investigation
According to the school district, Allred was “altering financial data and records” to hide the scheme, making it hard for the district to find out what she was doing.
The district is working with the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor on an investigative audit of Lee County Schools.
"I’ve talked to leadership of Lee County Schools, the District Attorney, and local law enforcement," said State Auditor Dave Boliek in a news release. "With our investigation into Lee County Schools, the goal is to provide an objective account to assist in resolving what appears to be financial malfeasance."
The school district said all employees are screened before being hired and the process includes criminal background checks and reference checks.
“The actions of one employee will not and should not overshadow the dedication and hard work of the many great people in our district who are committed to doing what is best for students every day,” Lee County Schools said.
Saleen Martin is a reporter on Paste BN's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.