Former UT-Austin Law School Director Arrested Amid Fraud Charges

AUSTIN, TX — A former director at the University of Texas at Austin law school was arrested this week as part of a growing fraud investigation at the school, according to a published report.

Jason Shoumaker, the law school's facilities director until his November 2017 firing, was arrested Thursday, the Texas Tribune reported on Friday. Shoumaker is accused of repeatedly claiming to be showing up for work when in actuality was luxuriating in tourist hot spots such as Cozumel, Las Vegas and the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to the report.

Shoumaker is now at the center of an ongoing probe by the Texas County District Attorney's Office and the Texas Rangers, the Tribune reported. He is at the center of a growing investigation into fraud that involves "several millions of dollars of questionable expenses," a source familiar with the matter told the news source.

A UT-Austin spokesman told the Tribune that the school was cooperating with investigators in addition to retaining outside counsel to review management issues and related concerns. "We take our responsibility as stewards of public dollars extremely seriously," the spokesman, Gary Susswein, said. "We also continue to work together with the district attorney’s office as it investigates all matters related to this case and appreciate the work they are doing."

Shoumaker now faces half a dozen charges of tampering with government records (namely, his time sheets) while on the university payroll. His bond was set at $40,000 per charge, and he was ordered to surrender his passport, the Tribune reported. As the case unfolded following a string of complaints by other employees, he was fired from his $80,000 job in November after being placed on administrative leave in July 2017 following his 2007 hiring.

University auditors, managers and executives previously accused Shoumaker of submitting time sheets even as his personal credit cards were being swiped in such far-flung destinations as Miami, Florida and California, according to an arrest affidavit referenced by the Tribune. Charges between July 2016 and April 2017, according to the report, included:

• $2,584.76 for an American Airlines flight to the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• $609.02 at the Wynn Las Vegas hotel.
• $39.76 at Jose Cuervo Tequila in Miami, Fla.]
• $88.50 at a lobster grill in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
• $44.20 at a Hooters restaurant.
• $81.00 for a professional massage.

This is a developing story. Patch will update as more details are made available.

>>> Read the full story at Texas Tribune

Photo of University of Texas at Austin Tower by Tony Cantú