A Florida woman is accused of taking advantage of her position as a school counselor to benefit her children. She was formally charged when a federal grand jury in another state recently indicted her. The grand jury determined that there is an adequate basis for bringing six counts of mail fraud against the woman.
According to information released by a U.S. Attorney, the 49-year-old woman from Stuart, Florida, started working as a school counselor at a high school in another state in 2011. Court documents indicate that two of the defendant’s daughters attended the same school. It is alleged that she misused her administrative access when she fraudulently changed the school records to show improved records of her children’s grades.
The alleged mail fraud continued for six years until 2017. The prosecution further alleges the woman modified over 35 of the grades, and the improved grades even led to one of her children being awarded scholarships valued over $10,000. The applications for the scholarships allegedly contained fraudulent transcripts and report cards.
A conviction on white collar crimes charges such as mail fraud can have severe consequences. However, an indictment is only a confirmation of allegations, and the accused individual will remain innocent until the prosecution can prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. For that reason, anyone in a similar situation in Florida would likely secure the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. A lawyer can ensure that the defendant’s legal rights are protected while working toward achieving the most favorable outcome for the client.
