The founder of a prominent New York City charter school network pilfered more than $200,000 from its accounts so he could get a better deal on a $2.37 million Manhattan apartment, federal prosecutors said.
Seth Andrew, who was also a senior advisor in the federal Office of Educational Technology under President Barack Obama, is accused of wire fraud, money laundering, and making false statements to a financial institution in connection with the alleged scheme.
“As alleged, Seth Andrew abused his position as a founder of a charter school network to steal from the very same schools he helped create,” Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said in a statement.
Democracy Prep notified students, staff and alumni of the bust in a morning email. CEO Natasha Trivers, who took over the network in 2019, wrote that she instituted financial safeguards that uncovered Andrew’s alleged fraud.
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