Former charter school official Sean Moore, 43, of New Castle, has pleaded guilty to three counts of federal program theft in U.S. District Court for Delaware.
According to court records and statements made in open court, between July 1, 2011 and January 31, 2015, Moore served as the Director of Finance and Operations for the Family Foundations Academy, New Castle.
Moore took $161,871 from the school, according to a release from the office of the U.S. Attorney for Delaware.
According to The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Moore charged personal expenses to an unauthorized credit card he opened in the name of the school.
Moore also used the State of Delaware’s voucher program, which allows charter schools to submit qualified expenses for reimbursement, and the State of Delaware’s procurement card system. The State of Delaware issues credit cards to charter school administrators to purchase school supplies.
Prosecutors said Moore stole money from the school’s fund-raising account, which consisted of money collected from parents of school students, local sponsors, and an after-school program. Moore also took money from the school’s construction loan account.
Moore used the money for personal expenses such as retail purchases, home improvement purchases, electronics, auto loan payments, auto services and accessories, federal tax payments, groceries, entertainment, food, gas, travel, gifts and collectibles, shoes, hotels, jewelry, train tickets, and video games.
The Family Foundations Academy received significant federal funding, which provided the basis for the federal program theft charges. The maximum penalty for each count is ten years in prison followed by a three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Education – Office of the Inspector General, and the Delaware Attorney General’s Office, with assistance from the Delaware Office of Auditor of Accounts.
