Arizona had to pay the federal government back more than $425,000 in grant money that was meant to boost career and technical education.
A new state audit report alleges it was due to fraud and misuse of public money by education officials.
Lois Lamer was head of Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education in Yavapai County. She allegedly let Dennis Fiscus control her bank account for years.
Fiscus was fired from the Arizona Department of Education in 2015 due to discrepancies with federal grant money he disbursed.
The state auditor general says Fiscus gave the Academy nearly $350,000 more than he should have.
Fiscus then allegedly spent at least some of the money on what investigators think was unnecessary travel, expensive meals and flight upgrades.
Fiscus and Lamer were indicted by a grand jury, according to the Auditor General’s Office.
