Plano ISD Embezzlement Scheme Rocks Collin County
A 68-year-old Prosper woman has pleaded guilty in a conspiracy to embezzle millions from the Plano Independent School District. Carol Ann LaRue, owner of Fire Systems Specialists and Digital Security Solutions, admitted to submitting fraudulent invoices for services not rendered and products not provided.
Between May 2011 and December 2013, LaRue conspired with Plano ISD employee Kris Wilson Gentz to defraud the school district. When payment was made, LaRue and Gentz split the profits between themselves. As a result, Plano ISD suffered a loss that did not exceed $7 million, with LaRue responsible for losses that did not exceed $2.5 million.
Gentz, who pleaded guilty to the same charges on April 1, 2014, is awaiting sentencing. U.S. Attorney John M. Bales praised the investigative team for a job well done, stating, ‘The other shoe has now dropped in the Kris Gentz-Carol LaRue fraud scheme.’
Bales emphasized that the case serves as a warning to others who believe they can rip off the public without being held accountable. LaRue faces up to five years in federal prison and a date for sentencing has not yet been set.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher A. Eason.
LaRue’s guilty plea brings an end to a scheme that cheated taxpayers and robbed children of their rightful funds. The Plano ISD community can now begin to heal and move forward, knowing that justice has been served.
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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