Five people, at least one of them a former Chicago Public Schools employee, have been accused of stealing more than $870,000 from two high schools in the city by fraudulently billing for goods and services that were often never delivered.
The Chicago Tribune reports that the theft occurred between late 2009 and early 2014.
Information about the theft was laid out in a 2014 report from the school district's inspector general's office.
"[I]nvestigations determined that between late 2009 and early 2014, a school operations employee who worked at two high schools orchestrated multiple fraudulent purchasing and reimbursement schemes that resulted in the theft of $876,427," the inspector general's report said.
The report concluded the thefts were carried out through a system of fake purchase orders and falsified invoices from businesses that in turn kicked back money to a district employee. Most of the theft occurred at Clark High School; the scheme also involved Gage Park High School.
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