Ex-Obama White House Aide in Plea Discussions Over Fraud Charges

(Bloomberg) -- A former Obama White House official charged with stealing $218,000 from a charter school network he founded is in plea discussions with the government, according to a court filing.

Seth Andrew, who served as a senior adviser in the Office of Educational Technology during former President Barack Obama’s second term, was charged last month with stealing from Harlem-based Democracy Prep Public Schools’ escrow accounts in 2019. Andrew deposited the funds in bank accounts he controlled and used it to get a lower rate on a mortgage for a $2.4 million Manhattan apartment, according to federal prosecutors.

In a court filing made public on Thursday, a federal prosecutor told a judge that the government and Andrew’s defense team “are discussing a potential disposition to the case and other matters.” If convicted, Andrew faces as long as 30 years in prison for making false statements, although he’d likely get a much shorter term.

The case is U.S. v. Andrew, 21-mj-04262, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan).

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