EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A Waterloo, Illinois, woman appeared in federal court on Thursday to be sentenced for embezzling funds from the school district where she worked.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Illinois, Linda J. Johnson, 58, embezzled over $135,000 from the Dupo Community Unit School District #196’s student activity fund between 2020 and 2022.
Johnson pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of theft from a federally funded program.
Prosecutors said Johnson worked as administrative support in the superintendent’s office and was responsible for depositing cash and checks into the district’s accounts intended to support student athletics, clubs, and extracurriculars, like yearbook, cheer, dance, and science clubs, as well as vending machines and trivia nights.
Johnson prepared bank deposit slips reflecting the correct amount of cash and checks received by the school but later prepared an additional set of deposit slips that only accounted for the checks received and would keep the cash for herself.
In total, Johnson committed 165 fraudulent transactions, which cost the school district $135,566.80 over two years.
A U.S. District Court judge sentenced Johnson to 15 months in federal prison and ordered her to pay $135,566.80 in restitution to the school district and the Ohio Casualty Insurance Company.