California School Board Trustee Indicted for Insurance Fraud and Misuse of Public Funds

A California school board trustee has been indicted on charges of embezzlement and filing a false insurance claim. The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office alleges the trustee used a district-issued credit card for personal purchases totaling over $950 and submitted a fraudulent insurance claim unrelated to school activities.

The investigation began in 2023 when concerns were raised about the trustee’s alleged misuse of public funds. Authorities reviewed credit card transactions for all seven trustees and found the indicted trustee’s actions to be intentional and for personal gain. A search of the trustee’s devices and evidence led to her April 2024 arrest.

The trustee, whose term ends in 2026, denies any wrongdoing, describing the charges as politically motivated. Her lawyer emphasized that a related grand theft charge was dismissed by the grand jury and criticized the process for excluding the defense from presenting evidence. A jury trial is scheduled for March 14.