Kristi Williams, who used to work as a tax assessor, is facing a wire fraud charge after allegedly siphoning off cash tax payments that were supposed to be deposited into the district's bank account.
According to officials, the payments were supposed to be made in batches of $15,000 to $20,000.
Prosecutors said Williams allegedly used TISD's tax software to reverse payments and redirect them in a new batch. According to the indictment, it remains unclear how the money reached Williams' personal accounts.
In a letter to the district's families, Tomball ISD said it began investigating Williams after uncovering the alleged theft in 2023 and fired her in November of that year. Williams had worked in the tax office since 2018.
"Tomball ISD has worked diligently to strengthen internal controls and financial oversight to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future," the email said.
The email also read, "Tomball ISD is pursuing every available avenue to seek restitution of the funds, including a claim against our surety bond."
Williams' attorney declined to respond to ABC13 on the matter. She is set to make her first court appearance on July 13.