NewsLocal NewsLakeshoreOttawa

Actions

Former Grand Haven Area Public Schools assistant superintendent pleads no contest to embezzling

Grand Haven Area Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Brian Wheeler.png
Posted at 10:48 AM, Jan 24, 2022
and last updated 2022-01-24 10:48:49-05

GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — The former Grand Haven Area Public Schools assistant superintendent has pleaded no contest to embezzling nearly $1 million from the district and using a computer to commit a crime.

Police say Brian Wheeler took the money by faking invoices from a company that doesn’t exist. The invoices were for about $7,000 each. Court documents state police say Wheeler would pick up the checks and deposit the money into his own account before moving it around using a money transfer app.

Police believe Wheeler stole more than $900,000 since 2014.

According to the documents, a detective said Wheeler’s wife told him that her husband did confess to her that he was stealing money from the district.

Authorities started an investigation in early November after a person(s) reported noticing transactional irregularities in accounts managed by Wheeler over a period of time.

According to GHAPS, Wheeler was placed on administrative leave on Nov. 5. On Nov. 22, after he "failed to appear at multiple investigatory interviews to explain," the district fired him.

Wheeler is scheduled to be sentenced on February 21.