San Jose school enrichment program head arrested for alleged embezzlement
A former president of a San Jose elementary school enrichment program allegedly enriched herself by embezzling over $400,000 from the organization, police said Wednesday.
Last July, investigators were tipped off to potential theft from the Schallenberger Home and School Association, which supports enrichment programs at Schallenberger Elementary School on Koch Lane.
Financial crimes detectives began looking into the organization's numbers and allegedly discovered "suspicious" financial transactions that occurred between 2019 and 2023.
Police identified then-SHSA President Tayesa Knight as the suspect and allege that she wrote about 45 fraudulent checks to herself, totaling over $400,000.
According to investigators, the checks were claimed to be reimbursements for services that were not rendered.
A warrant went out for Knight and a search of her residence was carried out. She was taken into custody Tuesday and booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of grand theft and forgery.
The San Jose Unified School District released a statement on Wednesday.
"San Jose Unified prides itself on the pillars of honesty and integrity and we take any allegations that run counter to those values very seriously," said the District. "We look forward to working closely with the District Attorney's Office and other law enforcement officials as they carry out their duties.
