GRAND PRAIRIE -- The former chief financial officer for the Grand Prairie Independent School District has been arrested for allegedly stealing more than half a million dollars from the district.
”Yesterday was a red-letter day for us,” said GPISD Superintendent Dr. Susan Hull. “We’ve been waiting for that arrest, and waiting for that indictment.”
Dr. Hull said Tuesday that Carolyn Foster was caught by district accountants after they "questioned her handling of cash." They went to a supervisor one day after Foster's employment with GPISD ended.
”I could not be more proud of the employees who immediately caught some discrepancies," Hull said. "Once they had the data and the records back in their control, and they could see everything, they immediately caught some discrepancies that caused them to think there could be fraud or there could be theft.”
The superintendent said it was discovered that Foster allegedly "abused her authority as CFO" to get into a vault in the administration building, where money was kept for teacher awards and other needs. Foster is accused of stealing $600,000 in cash in almost a year.
"She allegedly ordered the money withdrawn from district bank accounts and delivered by armored truck to the district offices," a press release from GPISD said. "Foster then allegedly told finance department employees the money was for special cash awards for teachers for school supplies and for settlements in lawsuits. There were no such lawsuits that needed cash settlements."
When Foster left the district on Aug. 30, 2015, two accountants began to look into her handling of cash. The district says the pair had questioned Foster in the past, but "she had assured them she took responsibility for management of the funds."
Foster, 61, was arrested Monday by U.S. Secret Service special agents at her current place of work in Richardson, International Leadership of Texas, where she was the director of finance.
“All of us at GPISD deeply regret this apparent violation of the public trust by this former official. We thank our community for their strong and ongoing support of our schools and our children, and we will work hard every day to continue to earn that support,” Dr. Hull said.
Grand Prairie residents like Shrnell Morgan were shocked by the theft allegations.
"That’s crazy," she said. "That’s ridiculous.”
Changes have been made so that an incident like this doesn't happen again, the district said.
”We’ve added additional safeguards,” Hull said. “For example, a safe with double locks that change on a regular basis. We enhanced our video security system.”
Signatures of multiple high-ranking district officials will be necessary to take cash out of the district account, as well.
If convicted, Foster faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Restitution may also be ordered.
"That someone serving in a position of authority of an organization whose job is to educate and nurture the children of our community would violate that sacred trust is unconscionable," Superintendent Hull said. "We will work with authorities to retrieve every penny that was allegedly stolen, and we will work to make sure that such a despicable act will never happen again."
No one inside Foster’s published address would answer the door for comment about the case.
She has entered a not guilty plea. Under her bond conditions, a federal court judge ordered Foster to turn in her Passport. The judge also ordered she avoid working in any positions where she has direct contact with a company’s finances or bank accounts.