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SALT LAKE CITY — A Salt Lake Education Foundation employee accused of stealing more than $20,000 from the organization now faces nine felony charges.
Lavinia Hyde, 47, was charged Friday with misuse of public money, unlawful use of a financial transaction card, and communications fraud, second-degree felonies, as well as three counts of identity fraud and three counts of forgery, third-degree felonies.
The charges allege that Hyde used company credit cards to buy 36 prepaid Visa cards totaling $14,980, between June of 2016 and January of 2017. When asked about the cards, Hyde claimed they had gone to people and programs associated with the foundation, the charges say. However, police say a foundation employee looking into the matter could not find any evidence that the cards had been given to any person or program associated with the foundation.
Hyde is also accused of sending two Salt Lake Education Foundation checks to Weber State University and one check to Salt Lake Community College — totaling $8,500 — to pay for her own tuition and fees. These payments were made between February of 2016 and January of 2017, according to charging documents.
The charges also note that Hyde used her company credit card to buy $135 worth of personal items, including perfume and a hammock stand.
