A former Knox County Schools lead mechanic has been indicted for stealing nearly $188,000 from the school system.
According to the Tennessee Comptroller's Office, an investigation revealed former KCS lead mechanic Michael James had used the school system's purchasing card to buy $187,670 worth of vehicle parts for use at his private automotive repair business between July 2014 and Nov. 2017.
The investigation claims James used the parts for vehicles manufactured by Mercedes Benz, BMW, Lexus and other manufacturers which were not in the school's fleet.
Investigators found James had concealed the scheme by making up work orders for maintenance and repairs on school vehicle, and avoided sales tax on his illegal personal purchases by using the school system's tax-exempt status.
KCS fired James in Nov. 2017. On Feb. 13, 2018 tha grand jury indicted him on one count of theft of property over $60,000.
“One person should not be responsible for ordering parts, charging the parts on a purchasing card, and accepting delivery of the parts,” Comptroller Justin P. Wilson said. “It’s also important that someone carefully scrutinize invoices to ensure that purchases are valid. I’m pleased to note Knox County Schools is taking steps to address these issues.”