Former Employee Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $135,000 from Dupo School District

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A Waterloo woman admitted guilt to a federal charge Monday for embezzling more than $135,000 as a former employee of Dupo Community Unit School District #196.

Linda J. Johnson, 58, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of theft from a federally funded program.

According to court documents, Johnson committed the embezzlement while employed in an administrative support role in the superintendent’s office between 2020 and 2022. In this role, Johnson was responsible for depositing cash and checks into the district’s activities account intended to support student athletics, clubs, and extracurriculars.

To conceal her crime, she would prepare bank deposit slips reflecting the correct amount of cash and checks received, but later she prepared a second set of fraudulent deposit slips that only accounted for the checks, while she kept the cash.

“Stealing funds from student activities directly deprives children of opportunities within their extracurriculars,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “Although the defendant tried to conceal her crime from school officials by preparing two sets of records, her deceit was discovered, and she will be held accountable.”

The loss to the school district is $135,566.80.

“The FBI works to protect the well-being of our children on many levels, and investigating the embezzlement of school funds is no different,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher Johnson. “FBI Springfield would like to thank the Dupo Police Department for their vital role in this investigation.”

Theft from a federally funded program convictions are punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment and fines up to $250,000. Johnson’s sentencing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 27, 2025, at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.

Officials with the Dupo School District said the plea agreement reached Monday represents accountability for a serious breach of public trust that impacted their students, staff, and the entire Dupo School District community. They said they are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their diligent work in securing justice for our students and taxpayers.

The Dupo Police Department and the FBI Springfield Field Office are directing the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Weinhoeft is prosecuting the case.