DOJ: Ex-founder of a Madera County charter school used school funds to buy Ford-150s

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A erstwhile laminitis and enforcement for a charter schoolhouse successful Madera County has been charged with embezzling wealth from a programme that received national funding, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday.

Madera man, Nicholas M. Retana, 67, was charged with 1 number of embezzling wealth connected July 17. On Monday, the indictment was unsealed and helium was arraigned.

According to tribunal documents, Retana was the laminitis and enforcement of a charter schoolhouse successful Madera County until 2020.

The DOJ said that arsenic the enforcement director, helium utilized schoolhouse funds connected improper idiosyncratic expenses for himself, his household and his associates. He concealed the misused funds by mislabeling the expenses successful schoolhouse accounting records and misrepresenting the expenses erstwhile asked. The DOJ said helium bought caller Ford-150 Raptor pickup trucks for his sons utilizing schoolhouse funds.

According to the DOJ, helium besides had a idiosyncratic narration with a self-proclaimed enactment idiosyncratic turned narration manager whom helium paid $12,000 utilizing schoolhouse funds.

If convicted, Retana faces a maximum statutory punishment of 10 years a situation and a $250,000 fine.