Harambee Charter School President Admits To Stealing Money From School
By Tony Hanson
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The son of the founder of the Harambee Charter school in Overbrook has pleaded guilty to fraud. He admitted to stealing money from the school and related non-profit institute for his own benefit.
Authorities say Masai Skief, 32, as President of the School and Institute, used that position to steal nearly $90,000. Some of it was from a scholarship fund originally set up in his deceased father's name.
Federal prosecutor Louis Lappen detailed the fraud in court.
"The defendant used the Internet to execute two transfers of scholarship fund money totaling $9,000 from the new scholarship account that he had set up. And he transferred that from the new scholarship account to his Sovereign bank personal business account in the name of "IDREAM, LLC".
And Masai Skief has admitted the money went from his IDREAM account to help him purchase a personal residence. He'll be sentenced later.
Attempts to reach the school yesterday to determine if Skief is still employed by the school were unsuccessful.
