LOS ANGELES, Calif.–A former chief business officer for the Lynwood Unified School District was sentenced today to eight years behind bars for diverting more than $700,000 in public funds for his own use.
William Douglas Agopian, 61, of Santa Ana, pleaded guilty Sept. 4 to one felony count each of misappropriation of public funds and filing a false tax return.
The charges involve money that was diverted from a bank account that was initially established to facilitate a sister city trip to Mexico for Lynwood Unified School District students, prosecutors said.
The money was used to pay for sporting events, hot tub equipment, hotels and Agopian’s personal taxes, authorities said.
The district later learned about the account when officials were researching ways to save money on bank fees, officials said.
