The Arizona Auditor General’s Office has found that Hyder Elementary School District officials took appropriate action by reporting alleged financial misconduct by former office specialist Kalena Renaudin.
The Auditor General’s investigation found that from April 2016 through March 2018, Renaudin may have embezzled $7,417 from the District’s Medical Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA) plan checking account when she admittedly “borrowed” the monies by issuing 16 unauthorized checks to herself for her own personal purposes.
The investigators believe that Renaudin may have concealed her actions by not following District procedures. In particular, she failed to perform FSA checking account reconciliations and provide them to the business manager for his independent review.
Renaudin is accused of failing to obtain a second signature on 9 of the 16 unauthorized checks.
The Arizona Auditor General’s Office has submitted its report to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, which on April 10, 2023, presented evidence to the State Grand Jury.
The State Grand Jury issued an indictment on 6 felony counts related to theft, misuse of public monies, fraudulent schemes, and forgery.
Located in Dateland, about 70 miles east of Yuma, the District had fiscal year 2020 revenues of approximately $2.5 million and provided public education to about 100 students from kindergarten through the 8th grade. The District’s 2020 poverty rate was 18 percent, and about 72 percent of the students qualified for free/reduced price meals.