Goodyear charter school co-founders accused of fraud, theft

Goodyear charter school co-founders accused in $568,000 fraud scheme

PHOENIX (AP) - The co-founders of a charter school in Goodyear have been indicted on fraud and theft charges.

The Arizona Attorney General’s Office announced Feb. 17 that Incito Schools co-founders April Black and Amanda Jelleson are accused of a nearly $568,000 fraud scheme that allegedly occurred between November 2016 and November 2017.

Black and Jelleson were arraigned in court on the charges Wednesday. It’s unclear if either woman has a lawyer yet.

The defendants are alleged to have provided falsified information including pay stubs to the Maricopa County Superintendent’s Office in order to obtain grant funding that wasn’t provided to the appropriate teachers.

Prosecutors say Black and Jelleson are charged with five felonies including fraudulent schemes and artifices, conspiracy, two counts of theft over $25,000 and one count of forgery.

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