PARIS, Ill. (WAND) - Two Paris-Union School District 95 principals are out on bond after a grand jury indicted them for stealing COVID money from their schools.
The State Board of Education said in 2023 that a routine audit of the district found more than $3 million in questionable costs and spending.
From 2020 to 2023, Megan Carroll served as principal of Carolyn Wenz Elementary School. During the same time period, Kyle Shay was principal at Mayo Middle School. Both Carroll and Shay reported to Superintendent Jeremy Larson.
During the pandemic, when school buildings shut down, District 95 staff were reimbursed for driving to drop off school lunches to students.
Court records show Carroll and Shay fudged the numbers showing how much they drove.
The indictment also alleges. that the principals worked with Larson to say that the completed work was part of federal programs, above and beyond what they really did.
Prosecutors said the federal money they embezzled was intended to pay for students' meals.
Carroll and Shay both appeared in court Thursday and pleaded not guilty. They are scheduled to go to trial this summer.
The district sent the following statement to WAND News:
The Board of Education has been informed of the recently unsealed federal indictment involving Kyle Shay and Megan Carroll, both former principals of Paris Union School District 95. At this time, the District has no additional information beyond what has been publicly released and will continue to fully cooperate with federal authorities. These individuals are no longer employed by Paris Union School District 95.
While Larson was named in this indictment and WAND previously reported on an FBI raid at his home, he is not facing any charges at this time.
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