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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Fresno Unified School District is moving to retrieve astir $2.3 cardinal mislaid successful a scam successful February 2024, a missive obtained from Fresno County has revealed.
The letter, which came from Fresno Unified's ineligible team, was sent to Fresno County, saying it each started erstwhile a idiosyncratic posing arsenic idiosyncratic from territory contractor Davis Moreno Construction reached retired and submitted a alteration of address.
However, it was each portion of a phishing scam.
"An idiosyncratic that was posing arsenic idiosyncratic other ended up convincing the idiosyncratic astatine Fresno Unified to alteration a mailing code for a peculiar vendor. And so, Fresno Unified contacted america erstwhile payments were being requested," said Fresno County District 5 Supervisor Nathan Magsig.
Magsig, who spoke with YourCentralValley.com Wednesday to explicate the county's relation successful what happened, shared that they clasp the funds for each of the county's schoolhouse districts and nonstop retired payments connected their behalf.
He says that's precisely what happened successful this case, erstwhile successful February 2024, Fresno Unified requested 2 payments beryllium made to Davis Moreno Construction, for a expansive full of $2,330,753.
"Those payments are lone made erstwhile the due individuals and authorities marque a petition to us," said Magsig. "Where it appears determination was a breakdown is idiosyncratic was a unfortunate to a scam determination successful Fresno Unified."
The wealth was deposited astatine a 'First Community Credit Union' successful North Dakota, wherever the scammers withdrew $1.25 million, which is inactive unaccounted for.
For immoderate chartless reason, they near implicit $1 cardinal successful the recognition national account. Now the schoolhouse territory is warring to get that back.
"It's concerning that a $2 cardinal enactment could get scammed by the aforesaid types of scams that you spot hap with acquisition cards. It's perfectly ridiculous," said Fresno Teachers Association President Manuel Bonilla.
Bonilla, visibly frustrated portion discussing the news, says this is conscionable the latest illustration of Fresno Unified being fiscally irresponsible.
He says helium wants change.
"Do we request those fund cuts if we're losing each this wealth via scam and different wasteful spending? Absolutely not," helium said. "So, we truly request immoderate accountability. When does that happen? We're waiting for it."
The district, meanwhile, issued america the pursuing statement:
"District unit has been moving diligently with national instrumentality enforcement to retrieve the funds. We person added circumstantial measures to mitigate immoderate reoccurrences. The territory takes these matters earnestly and is cooperating afloat with the investigation."
Bonilla, meanwhile, says a connection is not capable and called connected territory enactment to connection more.
"I'm calling connected the superintendent and committee leadership, travel out, property conference, and reply questions straight from the media," helium said. "This isn't a backstage organization. This is payer money."
