Richmond woman allegedly stole $239,000 from private Catholic school, spent it on herself

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- A Richmond woman is accused of embezzling nearly $240,000 from a local Catholic school that primarily serves minority families and using those funds to take vacations, see shows like "Hamilton" and buy luxury items.

On Thursday, Aug. 14, federal prosecutors filed a criminal complaint against Shannel Peoples-Hilliard, accusing her of embezzling from an unidentified Richmond Catholic school.

The school is described as a private Catholic school with kindergarten through 8th-grade students. According to court documents obtained by 8News, it "primarily serves middle-income minority families, including underprivileged students."

Peoples-Hilliard reportedly served as the school's business manager from about May 2021 to about June 2024, during which time she had "dominion and control" over a school credit card. She was to use that card only for official school business, "a limitation that [she] knew and understood."

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The complaint alleges that, while in this role, Peoples-Hilliard stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the school between November 2021 and July 2024. Per court documents, Peoples-Hilliard is accused of spending those funds on herself. Some of her alleged purchases include:

• Vacations to places like Orlando, Florida, Las Vegas, Nevada, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and Miami, Florida
• Tickets to see performances like the musical "Hamilton," as well as artists like User, LL Cool J and Capitol Jazz
• A Royal Caribbean cruise
• Luxury items like purses and jewelry
• A deposit at the Boathouse at Rocketts Landing, a restaurant
• Living expenses, such as rent

She is further accused of concealing her actions by using the school's bank account to pay off the credit card, then making false statements in the school's bank-related reports.

For example, personal expenses for the cruise, restaurant deposit and a hotel stay in Winston-Salem, North Carolina were all reportedly recorded as costs associated with ongoing school construction.

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Peoples-Hilliard will appear in court for this charge of wire fraud on Sept. 4.