A mom faces criminal charges for allegedly conning the School District of Philadelphia out of over $61,000.
The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office says Laurel Schullere had two children enrolled in city schools who required therapeutic care. She allegedly named the Germantown business Missing Pieces as the provider of her kids' services and directed the school district to make payments to the company. Schullere did not disclose that she owned the business, and investigators also said they found no evidence that Missing Pieces was even operational.
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Over nine years, the school district sent payments totaling more than $61,000 to Schullere, who received them but allegedly did not forward any money to Missing Pieces. The the A.G.'s Office found two addresses listed for the company; one belonged to an abandoned property and the other to a church.
"This defendant exploited a system designed to help her own children grow and succeed," Attorney General Dave Sunday said in a statement. "Instead of ensuring the children received the care they needed, the defendant misled the district and pocketed taxpayer dollars."
Schullere turned herself into authorities Wednesday. She is charged with theft by deception and other related crimes.
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