(Michigan City, IN) - An employee of the Michigan City Area Schools is accused of misusing district funds.

 

Nicole Santana is charged with one count of fraud, a Level 6 felony, for allegedly using just under just under $4,000 of district money for personal purchases last year.

 

According to court records, the charge was filed last July. Details just recently came to light in a report filed in late August by the State Board of Accounts.

 

Financial officers with Michigan City schools first noticed questionable expenses in April of last year.

 

According to the Board of Accounts report, Santana had a documented history dating back to 2024 of not submitting proper documentation in a timely manner. A review of her credit card transactions revealed possible misappropriations of $3,986.11.

 

Alleged purchases unrelated to school purposes include groceries, clothing, cosmetics, dog food, crafts, alcohol, fuel, and visits to local restaurants.

 

The investigation showed that some of the purchases may have been made in support of staff and school-related activities, but others benefitted only Santana and her family, authorities said. 

 

The Board of Accounts also found that MCAS lacked proper internal controls to oversee certain financial policies. In a response to the report, the district’s business manager acknowledged the findings and offered eight corrective actions that MCAS will take to prevent such oversights in the future.

 

Santana resigned from her position on May 6 of last year.

She currently has a court hearing scheduled for October 26 in La Porte Superior Court 4.