Headlines 2 May 2025

Former Westside Academy business manager indicted

COLUMBUS — A former employee of a Columbus charter school was arraigned this week on multiple criminal charges following an investigation by the Auditor of State’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU).

Michelle Scott, former business manager at the Westside Academy, faces felony counts of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, theft in office, and tampering with records, under an indictment filed last month in Franklin County Common Pleas Court.

SIU received a complaint in March 2023 alleging potential fraud by Scott. SIU identified unauthorized payments, personal purchases, tuition reimbursements, and credit-card transactions totaling more than $400,000.

Scott allegedly used false vendor names and altered credit-card statements in an attempt to conceal the activities.

Since 2019, the Special Investigations Unit has assisted in 136 convictions resulting in more than $13 million in restitution (see Map of SIU Convictions since January 2019). The team receives hundreds of tips of suspected fraud annually. Tips can be submitted anonymously online or via SIU’s fraud hotline at 866-FRAUD-OH (866-372-8364).

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