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Former Tomball ISD Tax Manager Charged With Wire Fraud Over Nearly $1 Million

Prosecutors say she used the district's tax software to hide missing cash ahead of a July 13 court appearance.

Overview

  • The federal charge, which was announced Wednesday, accuses Kristi Williams of stealing $996,174 by reversing and regrouping recorded cash payments in Tomball ISD’s tax-collection software.
  • Williams led the district tax office from January 2018 through November 2023 and prosecutors say the alleged scheme ran roughly from September 2018 through June 2023.
  • Tomball ISD identified suspicious activity in 2023, fired Williams, reported the matter to federal investigators, and said taxpayer accounts were not affected.
  • The district is pursuing restitution, including a claim on its surety bond, and has tightened controls and oversight of cash handling and deposit procedures.
  • In Texas some school districts hire their own tax collectors rather than use county offices, a setup that relies on bonding and internal safeguards that Tomball ISD says it is now reinforcing.