Credit card use questioned

Schools employees made improper charges, audit says

Two former Palm Beach Gardens High employees charged more than $13,000 in unauthorized expenses with school credit cards, a district audit said.

A review by the district’s in“It spector general concluded that Terri Miller, 55, the former treasurer at the school, had made $12,200 in personal charges to Sam’s Club and Costco over five years. Her purchases were mostly grocery staples such as eggs, bread, soups, tea and sports drinks, the report said. She was arrested in May and charged with felony fraud. Her case is still pending.

The district’s investigation also said that former Assistant Principal Richard Williams, 54, who is Miller’s brother, made $1,142 in unauthorized purchases, including vitamins and supplements, lobster tails, shrimp, scallops, salmon spread, crab cakes and other gourmet food items.

Williams told investigators he bought some items, such as tea and cheese, for a needy family at the school. He bought items such as prunes and supplements for a medical condition he acquired as a result of an on-the-job injury. He said he had no recollection of buying many of the gourmet items.

is important to note that all of these expenditures were verified by signed receipts submitted to the [Palm Beach Gardens High] treasurer’s office,” Williams told investigators. While the receipts haven’t been located, “it would have been impossible for the ... treasurer to make payment on these receipts without knowing the exact amount.”

Miller resigned in late August, and Williams resigned in early