NY fraud tip spurred FBI probe of LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, report
Share this @internewscast.com

Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho has been under federal investigation for alleged misconduct, according to a recent report.

As revealed by the Los Angeles Times, the investigation that culminated in last week’s FBI raids on Carvalho’s residence and office began over a year ago. The probe was reportedly initiated following a referral from New York prosecutors involved in a criminal fraud case linked to AllHere, a tech company that secured a $6 million contract with LAUSD to create an AI-powered chatbot.

This chatbot, named “Ed,” was promoted by Carvalho as an innovative tool for enhancing communication with families but was never fully implemented.

Sources with knowledge of the investigation informed The Times that evidence concerning Carvalho was discovered by prosecutors in the AllHere case and subsequently forwarded to California authorities.

This referral set off the recent FBI searches at Carvalho’s San Pedro home, his office in downtown Los Angeles, and a Miami property associated with the expanding criminal investigation.

Since these developments, Carvalho, 61, has not made any public appearances or statements.

According to the Los Angeles Times, grand jury subpoenas have been issued to individuals in Miami-Dade County Public Schools seeking records from the district’s inspector general and the former Foundation for New Education Initiatives, a nonprofit Carvalho oversaw while leading the district.

AllHere’s founder, Joanna Smith-Griffin, 33, was arrested in 2024 and charged in Manhattan federal court with securities fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

Federal prosecutors allege that from 2020 until the company’s collapse in June 2024, Smith-Griffin inflated AllHere’s revenue, customer base and cash reserves to secure nearly $10 million from investors — and attempted to raise an additional $35 million.

According to the indictment, she told investors the company generated $3.7 million in revenue in 2020. Prosecutors say the real number was closer to $11,000. They also allege she falsely claimed contracts with major school districts that did not exist.

When discrepancies surfaced, prosecutors say she created a fake email account impersonating the company’s outside financial consultant to send fraudulent financial documents to investors.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said Smith-Griffin “orchestrated a deliberate and calculated scheme to deceive investors.” She has pleaded not guilty.

Federal agents didn’t stop in Los Angeles.

Along with searching Alberto Carvalho’s San Pedro home and his office at Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters downtown, the FBI also executed a search at the Florida home of Debra Kerr, a salesperson whose clients included AllHere.

Kerr had longstanding professional ties to Carvalho dating back to his tenure leading Miami-Dade schools.

The school board has ducked into closed session three times since the FBI raid rocked the district’s top office, scrambling to contain the political and public fallout.

Trustees voted 7-0 to place Carvalho on indefinite leave and elevate longtime insider Andres Chait to acting superintendent on Friday.

Monday marked Chait’s first time presiding as acting chief.

Chait opened with calm, carefully measured remarks aimed at cooling nerves across the nation’s second-largest school system.

“As acting superintendent, my top priority is to keep Los Angeles Unified steady and focused on our core mission,” he said, stressing safety, continuity and uninterrupted learning. “I know transitions can create uncertainty, but our district is strong.”

Public comment was brief but tense. Parents raised concerns about safety, accountability and transparency as the district faces one of the most serious upheavals in its history.

“Are you going to empower him to do his job?” one speaker demanded. “Which one of you is going to take responsibility?”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
California's oil lifeline goes to war with Santa Barbara as it demands eye-popping nine-figure sum over pipeline madness

California’s Oil Industry Clashes with Santa Barbara, Seeking Substantial Nine-Figure Compensation Over Pipeline Dispute

Sable Offshore Corp, a prominent oil company in California, is embroiled in…
Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act: SNAP benefits don't pay for rotisserie chicken, but a bipartisan bill might change that

New Bill Aims to Make Rotisserie Chicken Eligible for SNAP Benefits

A group of bipartisan U.S. senators is advocating for government food assistance…
Terrifying moment rock climbers get trapped on 100ft ledge in San Diego

Rock Climbers Rescued from 100-Foot Ledge in San Diego: A Harrowing Experience

Tuesday afternoon saw the daring rescue of three rock climbers who found…
Four masked suspects that were caught on camera

WATCH: Masked assailants execute ‘mob-style’ heist at jewelry store using hammers, experts report

In a dramatic scene that unfolded in Texas, a group of suspected…
Mets fans blast Mamdani's 'LGM' post after Amazin's snap 12-game 'Curse of Mambino' losing streak

Mets Fans Erupt Over Mamdani’s ‘LGM’ Tweet After Snapping the Dreaded ‘Curse of Mambino

Mets fans barely had time to savor the end of their team’s…
Ex-Alabama girls high school basketball coach charged with ‘deviant’ sex with student, dumped by husband

Shocking Scandal: Former Alabama Coach Faces Charges for Inappropriate Relationship with Student

A former high school basketball coach from Alabama, once praised as an…
Iran supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei's face is so disfigured he'll need plastic surgery

Iran’s Supreme Leader Faces Major Plastic Surgery: The Shocking Truth Behind Mojtaba Khamenei’s Disfigurement

Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has remained out of the…
Whoopi Goldberg urges 'everybody stop with the redistricting' after landmark Virginia vote

Whoopi Goldberg Calls for Halt on Redistricting Following Landmark Virginia Vote: A Call for Fair Representation

During Wednesday’s episode of “The View,” co-host Whoopi Goldberg voiced her strong…
NASA nuclear engineer found dead in burned Tesla after vanishing from his Alabama home last year

Shocking Mystery Unveiled: Missing NASA Engineer Found Dead in Burned Tesla – A Deep Dive into the Alabama Disappearance

‘Sinister’ links suspected in mysterious deaths of scientists James Comer, the Chair…
Illinois State University sued over alleged strikebreaker hiring during strike

Illinois State University Faces Legal Battle Over Alleged Strikebreaking Tactics Amid Faculty Strike

On Tuesday, the union for certain employees at Illinois State University initiated…
Chicago Board of Education to meet Thursday as some CPS parents voice May Day concerns

Chicago Board of Education to Address CPS Parents’ May Day Concerns in Upcoming Thursday Meeting

CHICAGO — Tensions are rising as the Chicago Board of Education convenes…
17-year-old sought for attempted murder in mass shooting near University of Iowa: police

Police Seek 17-Year-Old Suspect in Attempted Murder Case Following Mass Shooting Near University of Iowa

A 17-year-old is being sought by police on charges of attempted murder…