Central KY school official stole $1.6 million, used church for cover. Prison is next.
A Kentucky school official who admitted stealing $1.6 million has been sentenced to five years in prison.
Lesley Wade pleaded guilty to concealing money laundering and filing a false tax return in the case.
Wade worked at the Franklin County school system for years, finishing as the finance director. She admitted that from early 2011 through June 2019, she wrote herself extra checks and falsified records to cover the thefts.
Wade also used her position as treasurer of the Leestown Gospel Church in Frankfort to cover the crimes, passing some money through the church’s account to make the checks appear legitimate, according to a court record.
The total loss to the school system was $1.624,593 and she failed to pay $315,677 in taxes, according to Wade’s plea agreement.
“The defendant’s conduct is truly outrageous — she harmed the citizens of Franklin County and abused her position of trust by stealing money from (the) board of education and then used her church’s bank account to launder some of the stolen money,” U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr. said in a news release.
U.S. District Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove sentenced Wade on Thursday in Frankfort, ordering her to report to prison on Nov. 14.
This story was originally published October 2, 2020 at 9:06 AM.
