A federal grand jury has indicted Chakesha Scott, the former CEO of Impact Charter School in Baker, Louisiana, along with three others on charges of theft and conspiracy involving over $2.8 million in federal education funds. According to court documents, Scott orchestrated an elaborate scheme to divert school money into personal accounts between June 2018 and December 2024. The funds allegedly paid for luxury vehicles including a 2017 Acura MDX and 2021 Land Rover, personal real estate transactions, and family vacations charged to school credit cards. Her co-defendants include her husband Eric Scott, daughter Courtney Scott, and contractor Sam Green, each accused of various roles in the scheme.
The indictment came after a damning state audit revealed Scott’s misconduct and prompted the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to take aggressive action. Officials removed every board member and installed state-selected leadership to restore oversight and protect the school’s remaining operations. The scope of the theft is staggering when you break down the specifics: nearly $293,000 in uniform fees, over $166,000 spent on vehicles, and more than $114,000 in misappropriated travel expenses. These weren’t one-time mistakes but systematic transfers that occurred repeatedly over six years.
The fallout extends beyond the indictments. Families who enrolled their children at Impact Charter School trusted that their education funding would support classrooms and educational programs. Instead, that money was funneled into Scott’s personal lifestyle. State regulators are now working to stabilize the school and ensure current students aren’t left in further jeopardy. If you have connections to this school or concerns about how your child’s school handles federal funding, what questions would you ask your administration to verify that money is being spent correctly?
