Former Charter School Director Indicted Over Misused Education Funds
In a significant legal development, Arizona’s Attorney General Kris Mayes has revealed indictments against a former charter school director and associates, accused of diverting educational funds for personal luxuries. The legal actions arise from allegations of financial misconduct involving significant amounts of money.
According to the court documents made public, Jason Riegert, who previously held the position of Executive Director at Academy Del Sol, faces serious charges alongside his wife, Staci Barton, and the school’s office manager, Kimberly Richards. The charges were filed in late July and involve the alleged misuse of over $100,000 from the school’s finances between 2021 and 2024.
Academy Del Sol, which manages two charter schools in Tucson, has been at the center of these allegations. The indictment states that more than $25,000 of the misused funds were public education dollars provided by the state.
The legal documents claim that the accused misappropriated funds through a shell company, Platinum Educational Solutions, owned by Riegert. This entity was purportedly used to disguise personal expenses as costs for student support services. Additionally, it is alleged that personal home repairs were falsely billed as work performed at the school campuses.
Further accusations include the use of school funds for a variety of personal expenses such as dining, cosmetic surgery, a luxury vehicle, and trips to prominent cities like New York and Las Vegas.
