Phoenixville School Official Embezzled $90K: US Attorney

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — After some two years of investigation, criminal charges have been filed against a former Phoenixville Area School District employee who authorities said embezzled nearly $90,000 in federal assistance to the district.

Christopher Gehris, 46, was charged by the U.S. Attorney because the money he stole was from a federal program funded by taxpayer dollars, authorities said. The funds were earmarked specifically for a wide variety of extracurricular activities, including things like student sports, field trips, summer programs, and related events.

Gehris, who served as the district's Director of Finance and Business Manager from Nov. 2013 to Sept. 2019, used the oversight and responsibility of his position to make payments to himself from district bank accounts, fabricate receipts, and make false ledger entries, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

“Criminals that embezzle public money from schools are ripping off hundreds of students while also ripping off all taxpayers who fund them," U. S. Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams said in a statement. She was echoed by Jacqueline Maguire, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division, who added "Gehris stole from children and deprived them of meaningful educational experiences."

An investigation into missing funds was launched in the summer of 2019, and Gehris resigned his post shortly thereafter. The district then hired an independent firm to conduct a full forensic audit of the district's finances and business practices. The report, which traces the missing funds and which is now available online, was completed in the spring. However, its publication was delayed pending the completion of the criminal investigation.

The district thanked law enforcement for assisting the school in uncovering the truth and bringing the charges.

“We thank all of the law enforcement officials who worked over the past two years to investigate this matter,” Phoenixville's Superintendent Dr. Alan Fegley said Wednesday. “As a public institution, we take our fiscal responsibility very seriously, and will continue to cooperate with the authorities as they proceed with this case.”

Gehris faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 if he is convicted.