Second Former LRCA Employee Arrested In Payroll Fraud Case

LAFAYETTE, La. — A second former Lafayette Renaissance Charter Academy employee has been arrested in the school’s payroll fraud investigation.

Marva Williams, 49, who worked as the school’s regional school operations administrator, was booked late Monday on charges of public payroll fraud, theft and forgery. Her arrest follows that of Shameka Bazile, 40, the school’s former administrative assistant, who turned herself in the same night. Jail records show Williams’ bail was set at $4,500 and Bazile’s at $15,000. Both have since been released.

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What Investigators Found At Lafayette Renaissance Charter Academy

The Lafayette Police Department opened its investigation earlier this year after an internal review at LRCA uncovered what Charter Schools USA described as possible falsification of time records, improper payroll entries and unauthorized compensation payments. Charter Schools USA manages the organization that governs LRCA.

That internal review turned up repetitive substitute time entries, timecard changes made by managers and work schedules that didn’t match up with two employees attending college outside the area during the school year. Investigators also looked at bonus and stipend payments made to administrative employees to see whether the work behind them was properly documented and approved.

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Louisiana charter schools receive taxpayer funding based largely on student enrollment, but they operate independently of traditional public school districts. LRCA’s lower campus sits on Vienne Lane near Pont des Mouton Road and serves students from kindergarten through fourth grade.

Investigation Previously Cost Four Employees Their Jobs

Bazile and Williams were among four employees terminated following the internal review, along with the school’s principal, Clovis Benoit. Benoit was not accused of taking part in the alleged misconduct but held day-to-day oversight of the campus.

The other two employees let go were substitute teachers related to Bazile and Williams. Their names have not been made public. Both said in written statements that they didn’t know their identities were being used to submit time records for days they weren’t at the school, and both resigned during the investigation.

What Bazile And Williams Said In Their Statements

Bazile wrote that she took responsibility for logging hours for a relative she “assumed were approved,” and said she and Williams had discussed keeping family members employed at the school with Benoit. She said her relative had no part in what happened and offered to repay the money. She added that she’d never previously been written up or disciplined and maintained she never intentionally did anything wrong.

Williams wrote that she couldn’t recall specifics about allegations she had entered or modified a family member’s timecard or approved pay for hours that may not have been worked. She said she recognized the seriousness of the situation and acknowledged she shouldn’t have allowed improper actions to occur. After being contacted for comment, Williams sent a cease-and-desist letter accusing the reporting outlet of defamation and demanding it stop publishing what she called false statements, though the letter didn’t address the payroll findings themselves.

Where The Case Stands Now

Lafayette Police have said the investigation is nearing a conclusion and that the school has cooperated fully throughout. Investigators are still reviewing payroll system access and approval authority at the campus, and it hasn’t been confirmed whether that review turned up anything beyond what’s already been reported.

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