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Former Wyandotte Elementary School Principal Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement
DETROIT – A former Wyandotte Elementary School Principal pleaded guilty today to embezzling over $89,000 of funds intended for use by the school to advance its educational mission, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Krizia Allen, 38, of West Bloomfield, entered a plea of guilty to one count of theft from a federally funded program before United States District Chief Judge Sean F. Cox. The guilty plea arose out of Allen’s embezzlement of public funds while serving as the Principal of Garfield Elementary School within the City of Wyandotte.
According to the plea documents, from June 2018 through February 2023, while serving as the Principal of Garfield, Allen stole approximately $89,312 of public-school funds using various fraudulent means to divert the funds for her own personal use and conceal the theft.
“Krizia Allen stole tens of thousands of dollars of public funds intended to benefit its students. Every dollar Ms. Allen misappropriated for her own personal gain deprived the students and teachers of Garfield Elementary of the financial resources needed to ensure that each child at Garfield received a proper education,” said United States Attorney Ison.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Detroit Area Corruption Task Force, with assistance from the Wyandotte Police Department. “Educators are entrusted with the ultimate responsibility of ensuring our children receive a high-quality education and schools have the resources needed to accomplish academic goals,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “Mrs. Allen admittedly violated that trust by misappropriating school funds, and she will face the appropriate consequences.”
Allen used a corporate entity that provided no goods or services to the school to funnel over $24,000 in funds directly to her personal bank accounts. Once there, Allen used the stolen proceeds to make rent payments, purchase food, and make ATM withdrawals. She also repeatedly used a school credit card entrusted to her for official school purposes to make thousands of dollars’ worth of personal purchases on Amazon, including for digital gift cards for use at Nordstrom, Foot Locker, and Old Navy.
Allen’s actions were discovered in February 2023, when the school confronted her and discontinued her employment. That same day, Allen conducted open-source Internet searches utilizing search phrases such as “embezzlement” and “minimum for fraud.”
Allen’s guilty plea is a stark reminder of the importance of accountability in our public institutions. As the investigation revealed, Allen’s actions not only harmed the school and its students but also undermined the trust that is essential to the education system.
The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. Allen is scheduled to be sentenced on a date to be determined by the court.”
Key Facts
- State: Michigan
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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